The Hard Way

Scherzer said his arm was tired. It’s understandable considering how much he has been used lately to get the team where they are at.

The game was a team loss. Everything went wrong from not hitting with runners in scoring position, the bullpen choking, Pollock’s bad throw to 2B. Souza having to play RF and not throwing out a runner at the plate.

It’s just frustrating. Now the Dodgers have to win 4 out of 5 games. That’s going to be tough to do.

So, anybody here want to trade our position players for the Red Sox position players?

The Sox have played 8 games so far this postseason. Only one starting pitcher managed to go 5 innings against them. None of the other 7 went more than 2.2 innings.

Since the all-star game the offense has barely enough runs to win, in reality the team has been led by incredible pitching, the same players have said it, the offense needs to support the pitching, there are very few runs and that makes the pitchers have to have almost perfect performances, come on guys, you can do it, support those incredible pitchers with runs scored and everything will work out, if you do no one will beat the Dodgers.

Go BoSox!

Is that John Smoltz? He just stinks.

I just watched the replay of Rosario’s hit about 6 times, including slo mo. The ball was hit very hard, and Jansen raised his hand to try and catch it, but the ball took a quick hop when it got to Corey and instead of coming up to where his glove was, it skipped under the glove and into CF. Now, had he caught the ball on the bounce he had a very good chance of throwing out Rosario. Would the Dodgers have gone on to win? The way they were leaving men on base, one never knows. Turner had just missed putting them in front in the top of the 9th. They lost his game not because Urias gave up 2 runs, and Scherzer gave up a bomb to Pederson. They lost because the offense has been stagnant since game 5 of the NLDS. 2 runs, 10 hits and they lose, 4 hits 4 runs and 9 walks? Come on, Someone here needs to hit the ball when those kinds of situations happen. Dave may have micro managed by bringing in Urias, but it was on Julio once he was in the game. Even I was surprised he was hit that hard. It would have been his normal bullpen day anyway. You do not score, you do not win. Give your team more than a 2 run lead and the chances you win that night are considerably better. Next game is a afternoon game. 2:07 Pacific time. Oh, pitchers for game 4 are listed as TBA. If they are smart, they start Gonsolin in game 4. Then line up Urias, Scherzer and Buehler for the next 3.

Funny. All this talk would be a moot point if the starting pitching was at full strength. But it is not, and the bullpen has had to cover a lot of innings. Two other late season additions did not pan out. Had either been healthy and ready to go, the starting rotation would look a lot different. Hamels and Duffy not being available changed a lot. To me, it is Muncy being out that hurts more than anything else. Muncy works the count better than any other player on the team, and you can tell they are missing that 36 HR bat.

The team looked spent, but still they had a zillion guys on base and just didn’t knock them in. The Braves played as long of a season as the Dodgers so they’re tired isn’t good enough for me. Tired doesn’t explain AJ Pollock’s AB’s. If Max Scherzer is tired and has a dead arm then was using him to close out the Giants game instead of Joe Kelly the best idea? I get it. It’s Max Scherzer, but Joe Kelly has been pretty damn good this year. I didn’t have a problem with it. You had to do what you had to do to move on.

The Dodgers did not need to do that last night with Urias though. It was dumb and I don’t care what the Dave Roberts apologists think. Urias had pitched game 5 against the Giants. Everyone had been concerned about his innings all year. The Dodgers keep him at a lower pitch count than Scherzer and Buehler because of it. Most likely the Dodger are counting on Urias to be either the starter or bulk guy in two games of the series. Totally unnecessary last night in a Game 2. It was overmanaging at it’s finest. So many other options for a Game 2. The bullpen has been stellar. Use it. Now the Dodgers are doing it the hard way.

Two close games, enough mistakes and blame to go around. Let’s flush it down the toilet and move on. Tomorrow is an opportunity for them to show what they are made of. They did it against St. Louis. They did it against SF. They did it against Atlanta last year. And they can do it again this year.

Off topic question: I’m trying to track down a specific Dodger game from the past, and wondered if any of you might remember it. It was a home game, maybe in the last 10-20 years, where throughout the game, Vin Scully talked through the evolution of baseball broadcasting, and the viewer was shown the game in the style of the era . So, in the first inning, the camera was black and white, set up on the side of the field. Then in the second inning, maybe it moved to behind home plate, still black and white, then eventually it moved behind the pitcher and color was introduced, etc. until the end of the game we were in the most modern and current broadcast style. Does anyone remember this broadcast and have any leads on where I can find it to show my son?

Thanks!

Lee Kirk

I always thought the front office was the Dodger problem but I was proven wrong, they have spent more money than I ever thought they would and obtained some really really good players, but I was never wrong about Roberts. He still cannot construct a lineup and he still has no idea of when to make pitching changes.

Last year Roberts was a genius for pitching Urias in relief because he executed and this year he’s an idiot because Urias didn’t! Give the kid a break. He had a bad inning. Move on! I guess it’s Roberts fault hitters can’t deliver. Players win and lose games a great majority of the time. Our hitters aren’t delivering and we’re losing games because of it. End of story!

From Dodger Nation

With a base open and 1 out, Doc let Blake Treinen pitch to Austin Riley rather than giving him the intentional walk. Riley made them pay for that. But as Doc explained after the game, the matchups just didn’t play in their favor.

It was a thought. The way that Blake has dominated right-handed hitters, you’ve got Joc on deck. If he was going to get him out, I was thinking of walking Joc to get Duval. But I think in that spot right there, I didn’t like the matchup with Joc.

Yes, I still root for Joc and the Dodgers. Joc has loudly and silently been part of the first two wins. Home run off Scherzer to lift the team, throw to second to get Taylor, and backing the center fielder after he let Taylor’s blooper get past him to keep more runs from scoring. And now, we learn, Riley gets to knock in winning run because Joc was on deck.

MLB is going to require teams to provide housing for all minor league players starting next season. Well, that will help the kids out financially for sure. Shildt is going to be interviewed by the Padres.

So Doc’s management of the pitching staff has been lauded as genius as he has pieced together playoff wins with only 3 starters using a reliable bullpen. The last 2 games it didn’t work and now he’s an idiot again.

It’s certainly a new and different game these days, then the one I grew up with. The fact that 15 pitchers were used in a 9 inning playoff game with no “opener” is remarkable. No more aces locked into a pitching duel deep into the game. I’m not sure I like the new game but it doesn’t matter what I like. That’s how it’s done these days and Doc and the Wizard Behind the Curtain have been very successful at it.

Execution has been the difference. There hasn’t been much difference in the cast of characters except for the use of a starter in critical bullpen situations. As I’ve sat an mapped out the relievers, we have seemed to be an inning short. But I failed to factor in the used of a starter.

We all know the risk of using so many pitchers in a game is that a guy or 2 isn’t going to have it. The weak link in the chain becomes the undoing. But our bullpen has been awesome in consistency and execution. Well, everyone didn’t executed the last 2 games.

That and the absence of any timely hitting has put us in a deep hole.

I’m not that impressed with the Braves but they are finding a way. And we aren’t.

I am not going to bash any player or the manager this morning. What happened last night was baseball. It never really turns out like you think it will. On paper, the Dodgers are a far superior team to Atlanta, and the Braves are missing two of their best players. But do not forget, they are also playing without Soler, who after the trade became one of their best clutch players. Pederson was not starting because of his presence. Joc was coming off of the bench. The Dodgers are missing some pieces too, and the pieces they are missing, Kershaw, Muncy, Bauer, May, are all difference makers. If Kersh were healthy, he would be ready for game 5 if needed. Now, they need Buehler and Urias to be damn near perfect unless the offense gets off of it’s collective ass and starts generating some runs. Guys who made solid contributions, Pollock, the Turner boys, Seager, who although he homered last night, has not really been the same guy he was the last month of the season. Betts, Smith, and Bellinger, are the only players right now who have been somewhat consistent in the 8 games played in the post season so far. Taylor has had some big hits. But most of the team has not been clutch at all and the season long problem of leaving too many men on base, and losing one run decisions has remained. They lost a one run game to the Giants, 1-0 because of lack of offense and a killer wind, and now two consecutive one run losses in the 9th to the Braves. Lack of clutch and situational hitting. They keep swinging at worm killers and balls off of the plate. I have seen Trea with 3 ball counts swing more than a few times at ball four. And they take pitches right down central. Frustrating beyond words. Now, it is one game at a time territory. Win today, then win again tomorrow. They are more than capable of beating the Braves in LA and Atlanta over the next 4 games. But they are going to have to play near perfect baseball to get that done. No boneheaded base running. Working the count and getting the starters out of there after inflicting damage. And when you have a team on the ropes, do not take your foot off of the pedal.

I can’t criticize Roberts this postseason. He’s been pushing all of the buttons.

As far as using Scherzer and Urias in relief, all teams have been doing this in the postseason for several seasons. Anyone remember how the Bosox used their starters out of the ‘pen in 2018?

After the NLDS ended, someone pointed out that in 6 postseason games to that point, the Dodgers’ top 5 pitchers (Buehler Scherzer Urias Jansen & Treinen) had pitched 44 out of 55 innings. That’s what you want.

The Dodgers have been inconsistent on offense all season. They win blowouts and are about .500 in close games because of this. The offense had lots of opportunities to score in both games against the Braves and just didn’t get it done.

In particular, Trea Turner and AJ Pollock seem to be chasing out of the zone, especially sliders low and away.

The Dodgers are still the better team but they have to execute.

Very tough losses in Atlanta. Back to Back walkoff losses with lead off hits in the 9th inning on broken bat bloopers.

Atlanta is a very good team with quality pitching. It is unfortunate that the Dodgers offense has underperformed this postseason, but they still had great chances to win both games. The Dodgers need to put these games behind them, and focus on the opportunity to win the next game.

But as fans, we get to rehash some of the reasons for the losses, especially the Sunday game.

For me, it was a big mistake to bring in Julio in the 8th inning. Not only for this game, but for the whole series.

The Dodger bullpen had numerous options in the 8th and Julio was unnecessary. Treinen has been the best reliever all season and had only thrown 10 pitches in the 7th inning. Treinen handles left handlers well, and the two left handed bats in the 8th, Rosario and Freeman, hit LH and RH pitching. Plus Albies is a much better hitter RH.

If not Trienen, could have gone with Knebel, Jansen, Bickford, Graterol, or Bruihl. All good choices and capable of protecting a two run lead.

Another lost opportunity was JT not scoring on Taylor’s two RBI single. JT jogged to second base and was not running the whole way or would have scored easily. But Dodgers should have pinch run for him anyway, since he was injured and since he rivals Pujols as the slowest runner in baseball. Since they didn’t play JT on defense, no reason to not pinch run for him.

The defense let Dodgers down in the last two innings. Souza should have easily thrown out Rosario at home but threw a two hopper from 120 feet. Pollock made a terrible throw in LF and should have thrown out Rosario easily. Seager relay was not a good throw to get Albies. And in both cases, Will smith could have made better tags/catches.

And of course, the last play by Seager was difficult, but could have been made.

The Dodgers are still the better team, and can win this series if they start producing on offense. I still have confidence in the team to mount a comeback.

Everybody feels bad, and I don’t want to pound away at this, because what good does it do? But as the season draws to its end,, and we don’t know what will happen to the blog, I cannot just let this go. I am sure that the decision to use Urias was another of Roberts’ efforts to paint some kind of masterpiece, rather than just do the more conventional thing. He did it in 2019, putting in Kershaw to get an out, then leaving him him for another inning, then keeping him in after one home run, to give up two. He essentially did the same thing with Urias.

Urias had a great year, he was the star of last season’s championship series. But he is now a starter, not a relief pitcher. He, along with virtually every pitcher on Roberts’ overused staff, has a tired arm. Urias pitched well enough in Game 2 at SF. He then was used for Game 5, when they decided to use an opener, so he pitched four middle innings. Then somehow Roberts decides to use him three days later–with a 4-2 lead in the eighth! Why? Treinen has pitched two innings before, though not lately.. He pitched a perfect seventh, only nine pitches! So why not bring him out for the eighth, Jansen in the ninth? Or if you don’t want to do that, for some reason, why not Knebel, or another reliever? Why suddenly does Roberts decide to put Urias out there?

Oh, I’m sure it had something to do with matchups. But he put out someone who was tired. They said on the postgame show that he was throwing three mph slower than usual. But Roberts left him in. Hit, stolen base, hit, and he still is in there. Double to tie the game. He still leaves him in, because that was the plan, and Roberts rarely if ever deviates from his plan, he is very stubborn in that way.

Then for the ninth, game tied, he puts in Graterol. He does pretty well, two outs, man on second. Then he puts in Jansen, who does not often pitch well when he inherits runners. If he wanted to use Graterol in that spot, why not pitch him in the eighth? Why does Roberts suddenly put Urias in there? Yes, he thought of it in advance, blah. It was an effort at brilliance, which blew up. It wasn’t needed. It was something that virtually no other manager would do in that spot. Not only was it not necessary, as Treinen could have thrown more than his nine pitches, Roberts also made it very difficult for Urias to pitch much in Game 4. And what about the rest of the series?

Scherzer said he had a dead arm. Urias is clearly worn out. Buehler was overworked this season. Now, Kershaw’s loss was very unfortunate. Bauer’s, too,, though Scherzer replaced him. May, of course. Muncy lately. Of course, the Braves have been without one of the best players in baseball in Acuna. I actually could make the case that the only reason we finally won the title last year was that Roberts did not have enough time to wear out his pitchers. That would be unfair, but Roberts does always overuse his bullpen.

In my frustration last night, I was looking to see if there were any articles criticizing what I think was a terrible decision to use Urias. None yet, maybe there will not be any. Roberts basically escapes it from the general media, and the Dodgers media lavishes praise on him, as they never criticize any Dodger, which makes those TV postgame shows so dreary.. But there were several articles from 2019, about him “overmanaging.”

What does it matter, though? Roberts can be here for 20 more years, during which he probably will not win another title. But he is too full of his sense of his own managing brilliance, and he is remarkably stubborn. It is almost like he managed to lose a winning hand last night, by playing his cards in an unorthodox way. Almost every other manager would have used Treinen for one more inning, or maybe Knebel. That is not a stroke of brilliance, like a great painter or director might do, but we do not need that, though Roberts wants it.

As far as I am concerned, this decision not only lost the game, but the series, with a starting staff now completely worn out. If the Dodgers come back and win the title, I will write something giving Roberts credit, along with the players who did it. But I know what is going to happen: the local media is going to say, well, we had injuries, the Braves played great. It is also true that baseball is ludicrous, though greedy, in letting an 88-win team get a home field over a 106-win team. They have made the 162 game season almost a joke. But even so, Roberts is largely responsible for the loss last night, more than any of our players who made mistakes, as many did. To say, well, Urias could have pitched well, but he didn’t, is to give Roberts an excuse that any manager or coach would love to have. I could manage with that buffer. If they succeed, I am great; if they don;t, it is on them.

The Dodgers have had a great franchise for the last seven years, but will have one title, that in a shortened season. Do you think it it is just coincidence or bad luck, or, “well , there are a lot of good teams out there,” that has caused us to fall short over and over again? Roberts took out Hill too soon in the World Series of 2017 and 2018. He started Darvish twice in 2017, including Game 7, then left him in until the score was 4-0, and the game was over,and then he used Kershaw for four innings. He put in Kershaw and left him in too long in Game 5 in 2019. He unaccountably put in Urias for one inning last night, and somehow finally landed on the relief pitcher who didn’t have it, and left him in for the entire inning. He finally puts in the person he insists is his closer, when there are two outs in the ninth, and a runner on second.

Roberts, the person who apparently fancies himself as Matisse, or Stanley Kubrick, actually outmaneuvered himself last night, like a poker player who is on his way to winning money, but then tries to consummate some kind of brilliant bluff move, gaining applause from all, and ends up losing all his chips. And we Dodgers fans are stuck with it. And he’ll be back next year, doing the same thing in too many crucial games, though I seriously doubt that we will have the best team in baseball then. It’s only baseball, but it is quite depressing to contemplate. I would have hired Kapler seven years ago, for better or worse, but ownership wanted Roberts, though I think Friedman preferred Kapler. So far, Roberts is getting outmanaged by Snitker, who almost beat him last year, too.

So, even after going with a bullpen game to give Max an extra day of rest he still had a dead arm? Uh oh! That’s not good. Urias has pitched more than he ever has this year. Buhtane is now fumes.

I think that division race with the Giants hurt the Dodgers normal plans. There was an obligation to try to win the division – for good reason – but the Giants kept on winning. In past years Dodger pitchers wouldn’t suddenly come down with mystery ailments that would land them on the injured list. Somehow they would miraculously recover after missing a start and come back with fresh arms. It was a good way to manage the workload to keep pitchers from wearing out, but it also depended on the Dodgers being ahead in their division by 10 games like they normally are so they can coast.

As a fan I’m never happy. As a fan I’m an idiot and don’t know the decision making that goes into running the entirety of a baseball team. Do I think the front office and Dave try to overthink their strategy beforehand and get too cute? I’d say so. I think, overall, Roberts is a good manager and a good fit for the organization and how they approach the game and what they are trying to do, and he does get buy in from the players. That’s important.

He does make dumb decisions, in part because the organization tries to be too cute. They have … The Script. The Script is gospel. The Script is to be followed no matter what.

Billy Martin would toss The Script into the trash. Dave Roberts is no Billy Martin. I was watching a YouTube documentary on Billy. We will never see another Billy Martin. He was an alcoholic and emotionally volatile. He fought with the owner. He fought with the players. He fought with random people in bars. If he were a manager today and some front office dweeb handed him some sabre printout of some geek strategy he’d probably punch him in the mouth and throw him out of the clubhouse.

Billy Martin was also very smart and a keen observer of, not only the game, but of people. He had an intuitive feeling for a game in progress that was guided by years and years of paying attention. He could see the subtleties, he could understand the body language of a player and use that to his advantage. Tony La Russa described this in detail.

https://youtu.be/qKaoQ8_rQEM?t=2730

Roberts is no Billy Martin. Roberts follows a plan – The Script. Although I think Roberts is generally a good manager for the system in which he manages, he doesn’t read a game all that well, IMO, and doesn’t change up The Script when the situation might call for it. AF treats baseball like it’s a hedge fund. He looks for market inefficiencies and it works … to a degree. It is based on probabilities. Baseball is also like poker. Understanding the probabilities is important to increase your odds, but you have to play your opponent – you play the person. Billy was a genius at that.

In 2-2 ballgames I think those little things make the difference. Maybe Billy Martin would see something he could exploit. Maybe he would yell at Pollock after his first at bat to stop swinging at sliders.

….not entirely convinced that Bellinger’s problems are because of a weak shoulder. I may be wrong, but having some weakness in a surgically repaired shoulder doesn’t mean you flat out miss center cut fastballs, or are consistently late or can’t catch up to high heat. A lot of baseball people here who know more than I have commented on his complex timing sequence. I mentioned this in Spring training, comparing his complicated swing to Trout’s clean yet powerful swing path. Bluto provided his characteristic snark about comparing anyone to Trout, but my point in making the comparison wasn’t the talent but the different technique and approach.

There have been a few decisions that Roberts/Friedman have made that I would have made differently but we only know how their’s turned out.

1. I would be more stingy with the number of players used in case a game actually lasts longer than 9 innings.

2. I did not want Scherzer closing or relieving because I wanted him as strong as possible this late in the year for his scheduled starts.

3. I would not have used Urias in relief so that he too would be as strong as he could be in his scheduled start.

4. I would have left Graterol in the game instead of pulling him for Jansen.

The odds have dropped of the Dodgers getting to the WS but not so much that we all can have a lot of hope.

My goodness. So much anger.

Deep breath everyone. Look, I really hate bullpen games and I’m not a fan of the Julio Urias move. Just a sense. But I actually turned off the TV, a sense of impending doom, not sure why. Checked later, they lost. Bill Plaschke wrote a column in the LA Times this morning blaming the move with the Dodgers losing. I have to agree.

Even with game five in Frisco, I thought maybe the Dodgers should have gone back to Kenley Jansen, passed on the pinch hitter, play the long game, keep Max Scherzer fresh. There is a cost for using starters as relievers, unless it’s game seven of the World Series, and the Dodgers are already short a starter. Max was fatigued, no surprise really. They could have started Walker Buehler on regular rest.

Hey everything is a gamble, decisions either work or they don’t.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Dodgers run the table in Los Angeles and head back to Atlanta up a game. But the rotation seems to be somewhat of a mess. Will that impact them in LA? Well, Buehler is fresh.

But again, taking a hard look at the game. Dodgers had plenty of runners, not much clutch hitting. AJ Pollock is chasing off speed breaking stuff again, something he cleaned up in the summer. Without Max Muncy, they need Pollock to step up.

Okay, the Braves are a good team, but they are not a great team. Remember more games are lost than won. The Dodgers are blowing opportunities. Again, way too many strikeouts in key situations, base running blunders.

I thought we would win in 2017, but we didn’t, cheating and all. That was a really good team. Thought we would win last year and we did, even after we fell behind the Braves, three games to one.

All year long there has just been a nagging feeling about this team. Hope I’m wrong, but it’s still there. I know, the Dodgers have won more games than any other team in baseball. But, for whatever reason, LA is not head and shoulders above other teams. Maybe, it’s the injuries, no question it has hurt, but there is just something … Perhaps it’s not having Clayton Kershaw leading the charge. Or a lack of depth, missing players like Kiki and Joc. Hey, I get it, you can’t keep everyone. But somehow the replacements haven’t been very good.

Well there is Cody Bellinger, looking much better and I’m guessing headed for a big 2022.

The next three games at Dodger Stadium will tell the tale. So sit back and enjoy the ride and hope that nagging feeling goes away.

Everyone needs to practice civility. It’s really what’s wrong in the country today.

The Athletic sheds some light on why Urias was called on to pitch yesterday:

In the beer and champagne-filled aftermath of a successful pitching gambit in San Francisco, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman approached Urías. The Dodgers have considered him to perhaps be their most versatile arm. He’d fired four effective innings in relief to save the Dodgers in the same breakout season in which he’d won 20 games.

“Julio can handle anything that’s thrown at him,” Friedman remarked at Oracle Park. “He is unfazed by whatever it is, whenever.”

He was eager for more.

“I got you,” Urías told Friedman then. “Whatever you need, whatever you want, I got you.”

From Keith Law:

• Bobby Miller, the Dodgers’ first-round pick in 2020, was absolutely electric in his start Friday, working at 95-98 with a plus slider at 84-89 and two more above-average pitches in his curveball and changeup. That’s a quantum leap from where he was 16 months ago, when he was a two-pitch guy, and his delivery is cleaner as well. Hold your surprise, but it looks like the Dodgers have found another potential top-of-the-rotation starter prospect. (Oh, and there was a lot of chatter among scouts this week that their fourth-rounder from this year, Nick Nastrini, and their sixth-rounder, Emmet Sheehan, both pitched like they should have gone in the first round after signing.)

• The Dodgers’ second-round pick in 2020, Landon Knack, was notable as a hard-throwing senior with exceptional control, walking just one batter in 25 innings (91 batters faced) before the world ended that spring. He carried that over into 2021, walking 8 batters in 62 1/3 innings (246 batters faced) between High A and Double A. Pitching behind Miller on Thursday, Knack was 93-96, with an inconsistent slider at 86-87 and a changeup he’s willing to throw inside to right-handers. Both Knack and Miller had two stints on the injured list this year, but whereas Miller has the four-pitch mix to start, I didn’t see that from Knack.

From The Athletic:

Major League Baseball’s plans to test out various ideas for speeding up games in the Arizona Fall League this year have been, through a week of games, a complete flop.

The Saturday night game at Salt River Fields, the spring home of the Diamondbacks and Rockies, exemplifies the entire problem. The game used the automated strike zone, a variable pitch clock and a ban on shifts. The result was a game that was called after seven and a half innings over three excruciating hours because the teams ran out of pitchers. Why did they run out of pitchers in just seven and a half innings, you ask? Because the pitchers they did use walked 22 guys.

YIKES!

Cue up Tony Bennett. I’m concerned the team may have left its heart in San Francisco after winning such a stressful, emotional series. Can’t really blame them.

The loss of Kike and Joc was huge. It weakened not only our bench decidedly but both are and were always clutch in the postseason. Going 2-18 in both games combined with RISP speaks volumes.

Anybody think we would be down 2-0 with Kike and Joc instead of Souza and whoever ?

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If the Dodgers don’t mount a comeback who is the “sacrificial lamb” for the offensive woes? Is RVS jettisoned off the coaching staff? Is Brant Brown let go? Every team adjusts their staff from year-to-year and I can see Doc and AF “tweaking” the hitting department to improve hitting w/ RISP and to get Pollock to hit an off speed pitch in the post season, because it’s painfully obvious he needs a “heart transplant” come October.

Really TM. It’s not even 6am here on the left coast and you felt it necessary to call out B & P for a non response. Even though he posts here each day, I’m sure he has other things to do besides responding to your posts. You criticize for posting and for not posting at your convenience. I’ve had issues with him in the past, but all is good in the end.

I know where he is coming from and he does well with me. Obviously, he can and has defended himself. Make your comments and move on. Just sayin’.

With last night’s game it was another offensive failure and a total team loss. I get removing Scherzer. If he says he’s done then he’s done. The guy is a warrior. But, for the life of me I don’t get the Urias move. I’m sure this was decided by the front office before the game started. They probably knew Scherzer wasn’t going to go far into the game and Urias was going to be used in relief come hell or high water. Even though it’s mentioned over and over again that Urias has never pitched anywhere near the amount of innings he has this year and that he has to be exhausted. So, to accommodate that line of thinking they have him relieve for the first time this year. He doesn’t get his normal starter time in the bullpen to warmup. He’s put into a tight game and fails. Our BP has for the most part been very effective the last few weeks of the season and has carried that on into the playoffs. So, why does the front office and Roberts feel the need to screw around and try to outsmart everyone? The relievers were effective in the first game (except Trenien) and none were stressed out. All were capable of pitching in game 2. The BP has been outstanding. There were still effective options available. But no, let’s bring in a starter that hasn’t pitched in relief all year. I don’t get it. Just like I don’t get using an opener. Like Scherzer commented that starters are built up a certain way to be successful and same with relievers. Trying to change that after a long season with apparently tired pitchers (Urias) doesn’t make sense. This was the second game of the series, not the seventh. How will this decision by the front office going to effective Urias’s next start? It might be a turning point in the series. We’ll see.

Carry on.

The sky is falling. It’s all doom and gloom. Nobody on this this team is any good if you look at the collective comments over the year. Forget that just about every starter has been an all star. We have multiple Cy Young winners, both in the past and in the current hunt. Multiple MVPs as well. We had the best bullpen in the league in the second half of the year, the half that immediately precedes the postseason.

Sorry, but I don’t buy all the doom and gloom and constant complaining. We lost two one run games against another post season team, by definition a very good team, in their yard. Yes, it will be a hard road ahead, but it isn’t impossible to get past an 0-2 hole in a best of 7 and I’m sure Bear or AC will be able to dig up the stats to show how it’s been done before. This is baseball.

As I’ve said before, I usually won’t comment much during the game or after. I wait for a new post the next morning to post a comment. This morning I woke up tired like a truck ran over my head. I don’t know if it was the mix of various strains I was hitting, or if the change in the weather is giving me a touch of hay fever. I digress.

TM, you are a whiny little B. You call me a Polly-Ann because I have the sense to support a 106 win team all season? Well you’re chicken little. You complain constantly about All-Star caliber players because of a bad streak and switch your support from one player to another based on their performance in a game or two. Both of these games were winnable. Mistakes cost us both times. We play clean baseball and we are at least 1-1 right now. I don’t freak out when someone slumps because this is baseball and that’s what baseball players do. Freddie Freeman is one of the best hitters in this generation of players and he K’d 6 times in a row before that merciful 8th inning oppo fly out last night. I think he’s 0’fer the series. I sure hope that continues, but I don’t think it will. Just like I don’t think the NL batting champ will continue to slump. I saw Trea’s deep fly to the wall last night and realize that a couple of more feet, it’s a homer. I realize the difference between that being an out and going over the fence is about 1/4 inch on the bat.

I was pretty disgusted with Doc’s moves last night, but I don’t want to comment on Doc. I’m sick of the irrational defence of some of his moves. The difference in the game came down to having Souza in RF instead of Betts and the throw to the plate where Rosaria scored by an inch or so. Betts throws him out, Souza almost threw him out. That’s how close this game was. If Doc kept Turner in the game after his pinch hit, Betts would have been in RF.

But, the thing that made me most livid was pulling Scherzer so early. We had to go to the pen early and often as a result. But, it turns out that Max is burned out. That’s not on Doc. He did what he had to do. Urias came in and wasn’t his dominant self. Again, not on Doc. Urias has been money in the past, there’s no explanation for this. It is what it is. Kenly finally faltered. I don’t trust Kenley after his July meltdown, but he’s been lights out since. So, can I blame anyone for him finally faltering? Logic says no, but emotionally little Karens might say yes.

I maintain that you have to win the low scoring games sometimes. We lost two in a row. Both one run games. Sometimes that’s just bad luck (Trea Turner missed going yard by the smallest of margins, Souza’s throw just a tad late). But, this also happens when none of your hitters are hot. Somebody needs to step up otherwise it’s going to end at the NLCS. That is obvious.

Back at home starting tomorrow. No crazy weather on the schedule. Need some home cooking and a home sweep. Let’s not go down 3-1 again.

There you go TM, happy?

Game 1 made me confident Dodgers would have no problems winning the pennant. Now I’m not so certain as Mad Max says he just didn’t have his stuff. I sure hope that isn’t catchy to others in our rotation. I do expect Dodgers to win all 3 home games and that TT isn’t an overpaid Dee Gordon in this post season. His speed ain’t worth so much if he’s unable to utilize it on the base paths. But it is awesome when he can. I guess that that’s true with all contributing talents. It sure ain’t cool knowing our team is the most talented when their talent goes unsung. And it won’t take that much more effort. It’s an attitude thing so rally now and get er done!

As I said, I did not like the Urias move, but players have to execute. He didn’t.

Can you imagine how fans would have been roasting Doc if he brought Bruihl in and he did the same as Julio?

The manager is always wrong after the fact.

As Badger says: “They hit – They win!”

We got a s— storm going here…

I’m sure Lion King will have more to share and Katy bar the door, because BP will start shooting out his daily Magna Cartas…

We are tired. Fly balls to the warning track. In the past these fly balls were HRs. Too many bull pen games. Where is Gonsolin? Doc was not able to rest his players before the play offs. Both Beuhler and Urias have pitched more innings this year than before. Scherzer said his arm is dead. I think many of the pitchers arms are dead. I do not see the Dodgers coming back from this 0-2 deficit. I hope I am wrong. I am not blaming anyone. Last year was a short season. Actually, trying to win the West, maybe a fatal mistake. Those September games were played under a lot of stress.

Well, Dodgers should have won that game 2 but did not come threw in the field or at the plate.

Tough to win when Max and Julio both not having their stuff . I did not like when Doc brought in Julio, would have gone with Bruihl against the two leftys to start the 8th. Bruihl got two outs in game 1 and that was exactly the spot he was put on the roster for.

Still we could have limited the damage with better defense. Pollack and Souza with weak outfield throws. Rosario should have been out at 2b or at home . Especially that throw from Pollack was not MLB caliber. Weak and off the line too. That walk off hit was smashed, but a play that can be made.

But it all does not matter if we would have hit with RISP. Other than CT3 nobody was able to come threw in that situaiton.

Well, now we got them were we want them. Down 0-2. Lets turn the tables. Must win in Game 3. Will WB have his A game ? We certainly need it big time.

Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Spoiler: we’re all idiots

4 for 31, 10 K’, 3 by TTurner, 2 by Pollock, 1 for 10 WRISP. We don’t hit we don’t win.

Urias was a mistake. The bullpen has come through time and again, stick with them.

Seager ole’d a ground ball that would have extended the game. No guarantees we would have won it, but no excuse for not knocking down that ball.

We need to hit.

This team looks tired, but, we win two at home we will be fine.

Well, at least the Atlanta fans went home happy. I could hear them shouting outside my window.

Those kids, Rosario and Albies, are pretty exciting to watch, especially the latter. I’d take him over Trea Turner any day of the week. One is a money player; the other is not. Can you guess which one is which? I wonder when he (Albies) becomes a FA? If he becomes a FA the same time Trea becomes a FA, give him your money and say goodbye to Trea.

WE NEED MORE OCTOBER PLAYERS after we let Kike and Joc go.

For the record, I was horrified seeing Urias come in to pitch knowing he is pitching game 4 and we had Graterol and Bickford to pitch the 8th and Jansen the 9th…..but I won’t jump on Doc for the move. But the tired arms of the Dodgers big three seems to not be affecting the Braves big three as much. Our lack of a 4th we can trust may be the main reason we lose…always having to pitch the big 3 in other games they are not starting in. Don’t forget, this year we had to play 162, not 60. HUGE DIFFERENCE!

Oh well, it’s much easier to speculate why things are the way they are. At least if we lose, we lose to my second favorite home team. I love the positive energy moving about here from the media and fans. This would help me get over the disappointment much easier.

TM

Still shaking my head in disbelief that we are 2 games down in this series.