Two Down, Nine To Go!
Rant Rave Sunday Saturday morning I was listening to MLB Radio and the announcers were saying that the Dodgers 1-4 hitters had to have a good series, because their 5-8 hitters were almost irrelevant. Yeah right! Conventional wisdom is often wrong and never were they so wrong as last night when the Dodgers 5-8 hitters scored 7 of their 8 runs. It appears that Roberts and the front office
Rant & Rave Sunday
- Saturday morning I was listening to MLB Radio and the announcers were saying that the Dodgers 1-4 hitters had to have a good series, because their 5-8 hitters were “almost irrelevant.” Yeah right! Conventional wisdom is often wrong and never were they so wrong as last night when the Dodgers 5-8 hitters scored 7 of their 8 runs.
- It appears that Roberts and the front office made the right decision in taking their foot off the accelerator in September and that the team is indeed able to “flip the switch” when needed. In fact, this may be the most “ready” the team has been all season. It’s mentally exhausting to have to keep a high level of focus and intensity all season. I think Roberts letting the team “mentally check out” and also rest players to get healthy may have been a brilliant move, not a mistake.
- I would not be surprised if Clayton Kershaw has surgery on his back after the season. I saw him moving gingerly in the dugout last night, like he might be a little stiff. After the game Friday night, he admitted to being spent and essentially gave Doc Carte Blanche to take him out after the sixth inning. Also, if your back is aching or hurt and you get tired, your back is extremely tired and weak. I believe Clayton’s back is an issue.
- The Dodgers are back to “let’s see who does it tonight.“
- Cody Bellinger is pressing but he will figure it out. In the meantime, the rest of the team picks him up.
- Logan Forsythe is finally 100% healthy and see what a difference that makes! I now think FAZ will have him back next year.
- Darvish is pitching tomorrow on a lot of rest. Help or hinderance?
- Nine more games – 1 at a time!
- Austin Barnes will be hard to take out if he keeps hitting like this.
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 (77)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Mad Dog Russo with an epic 5 minute rant today ripping the Nationals, Dusty, and Scherzer a new one.
Ok, that’s a relief. Last night felt like a playoff game; tension the whole time.
This is a pretty good breakdown of the the strategies used by each respective team.
Open on www.fanragsports.comhttps://www.fanragsports.com/breaking-down-strategies-used-in-diamondbacks-dodgers-series/Bill Shaikin said it best:
The Dodgers’ front-office strategy, summarized in one successful play: Austin Barnes homers off Zack Greinke.
.
Grandal for Kemp.
Taylor for Lee.
Kike and Barnes for Gordon.
Hill for cotton and Montas.
Forsythe for DeLeon.
Brandon Morrow to a minor league deal.
Wood and Avilan for Olivera & Paco
At the game last night and it was rockin n rollin!!!
We severed the head and kept the rattle… No pool needed…
Good for the Kid being home and all… Barnes, what a pleasure to watch that kid mature in front of us…
Take care of the headaches today and start getting ready…
P.S. Yep, that’s whey we got Darvish… And now it’s Buehler and ? time to shine in 2018…
I would rather have Darvish for the next four years than Greinke. Just saying.
I was on total pins and needles when Kenley was pitching to Goldschmidt. What a game! Darvish was a man tonight, THAT is why we got him. Just give me 6 or 7 innings of lights out Darvish in the next two series, and you can plan the parade route. Damn we look rested, tough and focused right now. Don’t really care who we play next, the first two is at home, and our starting pitching is looking real tough. Dang, we haven’t even pitching Wood yet! By the way, Maeda kicked ass in the 8th, great move by Roberts. Wow, just , Wow!!
Just seen It’s Saturday night.
That means all our pitchers will be rested – while the Cubs or Nats potentially could be playing on Thursday night.
–
Puig is having some great ABs. Utley also. Barnes has to play over Grandal.
Unfortunately Granderson has to sit now. Give Dre a shot against RHP and Kiki against LHP.
–
Wow, I’m sitting in my car at 07.00 am in a car park absolutely buzzing.
Luckily no one about to hear me shouting when Kenley got Goldy.
What a great start to the day.
I don’t know about everyone else but that last AB with Jansen and Goldschmidt is what baseball is all about and Kenley came through again. THAT’S why you pay a closer $16MM/year. Great drama and very exciting and now the Dodgers get a few days off while the Nats and Cubs beat each other up for a while longer.
Bellinger is one hellava defensive player.
Loved how Jansen ended Arizona’s trip with their best up as their last chance to tie. Sorry but no tie and no walkoff. Maybe next year………naaaaaawww!
What a great win. Our pitching was lights out.
One big hit, and that would’ve been a comfortable win.
–
When does the NLCS start?
Eight more wins.
Somehow they got 20 runs across the plate in the 3 games, and are the only team in the playoffs to sweep and against a team that had won 6 in a row against them. I will take the way the team is playing all day long.
Bye, Bye, D-Bags!
Dodgers 0 for 10 with RISP tonight. Dodger pitchers have had to be nearly perfect – and they have been.
Snakes – no one in scoring position all night.
More runners left.
Puig having some great ABs
Like you always say Mark, Cody Bellinger, best defensive first baseman in the game. Certainly, there’s no one better.
–
Now let’s get some runs.
Cody makes 2 GG type plays to make the bullpen look good! My blood pressure settled down a bit. Now what Brooklyn said, let’s get some more!
Cody Bellinger = Best Defensive 1B in all of baseball!
Now, let’s get some more.
Take a shower, Greinke. We hardly knew ya!’ Glad you are where you are. Peace, out!
Austin Freeking Barnes!!!!!
There’s some insurance!!
Crear Bellinger!!! Jajajaja
Rick, that’s exactly what I worry about. Time to start taking advantage of some oppotunities. I don ‘t want to look back in regret at all the oppotunities lost.