Congratulations to the Arizona DBacks. They thoroughly outplayed the Dodgers team in all three games, and earned their spot in the NLCS. The Dodgers were out hit, out pitched, out run, and out defensed in all three games. It really was not much of a series for the Dodgers, and was not representative of a team that won 100 games.
Go ahead and blame the pitching. I am not going to say that Lance Lynn had a good or even respectable outing. But once again, it was the offense that flat out failed.
Mookie and Freddie were a combined 1-21 with 3 BB. Mookie did not get a hit in the series, and walked once. Freddie got 1 single and drew 2 walks. Corbin Carroll was 3-9 with 4 walks. For the last three series (13 games) with LAD, Mookie is hitting .125/.246/.167/.412, 57 PA, 48 AB, 6 hits, 2 doubles, 8 BB, 1 SF, 2 RBI. The Dodgers are 3-10 in those games. I think if one is going to place blame, Mookie gets a longer look than does Clayton Kershaw.
For the series, the Dodgers were 17-96, 9 BB, 24 total bases including 2 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 HR. The Dodgers had 4 XBH in 3 games, the DBacks had 4 HRs in one inning. For the series, LAD was .177/.248/.250/.498. The Dodgers averaged 5.6 runs per game, and was only able to plate 6 runs in three games. Okay, the starting pitching was abysmal, a point that is not arguable. But LAD was not going to win a divisional series with that offense.
- Will Smith – 5 hits, 1 double, 1 triple, 2 RBI
- Kiké Hernández – 3 hits, 2 RBI
- JDM – 2 hits, 1 HR, 1 RBI
- Miggy Rojas – 2 hits
- Max Muncy – 2 hits
- CT3 – 1 hit, 1 RBI
- David Peralta – 1 hit, double
- Freddie Freeman – 1 hit
That is the entirety of the LAD offense.
After Clayton Kershaw was pulled in the 1st in Game 1, and Bobby Miller was pulled in the 2nd in Game 2, I sheepishly stated that the trend was for Lance Lynn to get pulled in the 3rd inning in Game 3. Well, that is exactly what happened. A post season record of 4 HRs in one inning, and all off of Lance Lynn. That seems appropriate since it appears that this year Lynn has surrendered more HRs per 9 innings than any other SP in MLB history.
Bert Blyleven allowed the most HRs in a season with 50, but that was in 271.2 IP. He allowed 46 in the next season in 267 IP. That is 1.66/9 innings and 1.55/9 innings respectively. Lynn has surrendered 44 HRs (not counting the 3rd inning last night) in 183.2 IP. That calculates to a 2.16/9 innings. Lynn is the quintessential HR allowed king in MLB. I feel comfortable in predicting the Dodgers will not exercise the $18MM club option for Lynn for 2024.
There will be those who will regale us all with “I told you so”. And good for them. I hope they feel better while criticizing the Dodgers. Me? I enjoyed the season as a whole. I did not like the ending. But this was supposed to be a transitional year. I can still recall Stan Kasten’s words in November last year:
“Earlier in the last decade, we had a wave of young guys who were going to be real contributors. We think we are now on the precipice of the next wave of young guys. We need to make room to allow that to happen. …”
They made room, and the team will be better for it in the future. For now we will have to live with the fact that the team “choked” at the wrong time for the second consecutive year. Questions will be raised and answers will be required.
I have not felt upset about a loss since the 2017 WS that we now know was stolen, but since AF took over, only one organization has won two WS, and one of those was stolen from the Dodgers. If not for the cheatin’ Asterisks, the Dodgers would have 2 WS championships.
I have no regrets for my support for AF, although I too have questions, and while I am not a journalist with contacts in the front office, I do hope some will get answers. I have dealt with accountability a lot in my professional career. Very few times did accountability equate to firing.
I am going to take a couple of days off. My wife is having a medical procedure that will have my full attention on Thursday. When I do return, while my focus will be on the USC – ND game, I will begin to formulate my thoughts on what went wrong.
“If not for the cheatin’ Asterisks, the Dodgers would have 2 WS championships.”
Would we really? Because recent history (2013-2023) suggest that we’d still choke when it mattered most. The more I think about it, if Houston didn’t cheat, what makes us so sure we’d win? Maybe they’d still win.
The stars for the Dodgers consistently don’t show up. It is what it is. Zero mamba mentality.
Not that I want this to happen, but i am more convinced than ever that Dave Roberts will no longer be the manager. Clearly his message regarding urgency hasn’t resonated with this team.
We’re clearly talented, as shown by 2 world series trips, and then 4 straight 100 win seasons sandwiched around a Covid year team on pace for 100 wins. Yet October has been first round and out, World Title, 2nd round and out, first round and out, and first round and out.
The last 2 years were the most pathetic of all the losses, and this year somehow even topped last year.
When it matters most, we don’t come to play, or we press too hard and panic. Perhaps another voice can get us ready for October.
In 21 Bobby, they actually had to win the wildcard game, there was no series then, to make it to the NLDS against the Giants. So, their back was against the wall. They beat the Cardinals on a 9th inning walk off homer by Taylor. But how soon we all forget things like that. Bellinger drove in the winning run in the 8th inning of game 5 off of the Giants closer to win that series. But in a quirk, because they were the wild card team, they did not have home field advantage even though they had more wins that the Braves. Up against the wall in that series, they had a 3-homer game by Taylor and Pollock hit two to stave off elimination. I do not think the losses are pathetic at all. I think they are a product of the way the playoffs are set up.
I totally dislike the 5 days off for the teams with a bye. And if my math is correct, once again, if the Phillies take care of business tonight, 3 of the 4 bye teams will be knocked out of the playoffs again. Baseball players are creatures of habit. The excessive days off can do nothing to contribute to consistency. That being said, this is a total TEAM loss. Except for the bullpen, which did its job pretty well, the rest of the team totally failed at their jobs. Your superstars perform as bad as the Dodgers did in this series, and last year as well, you are not winning.
Well said Bobby. I would hope everyone and everything is on the table and subject to change in the offseason.
Ted,
What does this mean?
There was massive change this year!
you don’t really expect more major changes to a team that won a hundred games, do you?
What does this mean? It’s pretty clear. There is a problem when you continually win 100+ games during the regular season and fail in the postseason. To look at all aspects of the team doesn’t mean “massive changes” are required. I have no expectations.
There was massive changes this year! That’s correct. After the Dodgers won 111 games in 2022!! The problem we’re talking about is in the postseason, not the regular season. So, regular season win totals shouldn’t prevent a thorough analysis of the team. Top to bottom.
Yet no change in management, which is where the change should come from.
Hoping that Walter and Kasten wise up here, and do what’s right. Not just Friedman, but a lot of the coaching staff too.
I will say it again, I totally dislike the way the playoffs are set up now. Make the wildcard a best of five so there is no break for the wildcard teams. Make the next two rounds best of seven. Shorten the season a little and re-seed after the wild card round. The best team should be playing the worst team left standing. Also, Dodger needs this winter, pitching, more pitching and some hitters who do not strike out so damn much.
I do not think there should be a round were wild card teams play each other. Maybe a 1 game elimination to eliminate an extra team to get to the right number (4,8,12,16). But they are in the playoffs and every team should be playing somebody 1 plays 8 , 2 plays 7 etc.
The advantage the “best” teams get should be that they play the “worst” teams. If they get beat then so be it. Giving them a week off is no advantage, it is a disadvantage
While I agree with this Dave, remember that MLB puts together a tournament that guarantees the most revenue. Eliminating any games, or shortening the season, isn’t going to happen. If anything they will expand the show.
And it won’t matter to the Dodgers. Their theater shuts down early.
Manfred defended the system today, but there is a lot of criticism for the system growing.
Oregon/Washington game is better.
Yeah, but I did not go to Oregon or Washington.
The Dodgers lost to a 6 seed. They lost to a second place team that finished 16 games behind them. This is the second straight year that has happened.
It’s probably coincidental but this has a feel of Kasten’s Braves team. 1 Championship in 14 tries. Maybe we should fire him.
While Harper and others are hitting bombs all over the place the Dodgers thunder was absent. Why? They looked dazed and confused. They looked disengaged. They looked tired.
I don’t know what the answer is. Fire the manager with the best win percentage the organization has ever seen? He also has the best win percentage MLB has seen in a hundred years. That makes no sense to me, though I’m sure others will call for it. Several will be gone of course. The discussions on who will replace them will begin soon.
Won the Division, again, but, October. So disappointing.
I think this performance was a new playoff low for this team. I was going to watch every pitch in last night’s game regardless of the score. With the fun and entertaining regular season I thought maybe they could wake up and rally for the victory. It was not to be. I’ve been watching all these awesome regular season results since AF took over in 2015;. And, for the most part, have no idea what this team needs to do different to win a World Series. Apparently, the Dodgers don’t either.
They have the talent offensively. And until this year always had a top ranked pitching staff. Bobby’s suggestion that Dave Roberts needs to be replaced would be hard to justify being he is the all time winningest manger. But, his message is not creating the urgency or focus needed come playoff time. I watched these games and there is no energy in the dugout. I know it’s not the case, but they looked defeated and going through the motions. One routine ground ball after the other.
It’s a mystery to me. Like I said above, I have nothing on what could do to change this continual failure in the postseason. They had four players with 100+ RBIs and 30+ HRs producing a collective BA of .119 with 1 HR and 1 RBI in this series. Sure, it was only a small sample size of three games, but come on. It was a “Bueller?, Bueller?” situation I don’t think there has been an LA Dodger postseason beatdown like this since the Baltimore Orioles sweep the Dodgers in 1966 World Series. In the four games the Dodgers boasted an all-time record with two runs, seventeen hits and a .142 BA and a pathetic 33 consecutive scoreless innings. Yikes.
I think there may be major player and staff changes coming in the offseason. These playoff failures are costing the ownership millions in annual cash flow and 100’s of millions in equity appreciation. And, as we all know, it’s all about the Benjamins!
Carry on…to next season.
Well said Ted.
Hmm. Maybe that’s how the Dodgers show loss on their books. It’s revenues lost by choking early. Perhaps that’s their business model?
Morning Badger – hope you’re doing well and the back isn’t barking too badly.
Do you remember when you dismissed the D’Backs ax a .500 team after our opening series back in April?
When I read that I remember thinking that I hope that doesn’t come back to bite us!!
Personally really enjoyed the season especially the emergence of the young arms. Gives great optimism for the future, especially with so much money coming off the books. Lots of opportunities to implement in areas of need.
Doc had his best season, he’s improved greatly over time, especially in his handling of the Bullpen, and some of the rule changes have worked in his favour.
As a “Transitional” year this has surpassed all expectations.
Hey W. Thanks for checking in.
Back, and just about everything else, is worse. But thanks for asking.
Admittedly I was wrong about the dbacks. But they didn’t turn it on til late.
You know, it seems to me the best teams hide in the weeds til it’s tournament time. The Dodgers are not one of those teams.
I hope you stop by often. Always good to hear from you.
I totally agree with your last sentence Watford. I wanted to see as many prospects as practical in 2023. I was resigned to having less successful record in order for this to happen. To win 100 games and win another divisional title was unexpected and fun to watch. So, to win that many games and have the incredible offensive output they had is why it was so frustrating and disappointing with their awful showing with Arizona.
So. I was going to write about how maybe the Dodgers are too HR (or three outcome) dependent and they could use more contact hitters.
but then I realized they lost this series Tia HR driven team (Game 3 personified) and I looked at the Philly series and its dingers. Houston. Texas. And this series also showed how hard it is to string together non HRs consistently.
maybe just find hitters who don’t slump at in opportune times?
Yeah, I read that this morning. Also witnessed it in this series.
But the good news is it’s football season. And everyone knows football is the most important of all the least important things in the world.
What’s not to like about the season? A hundred Happy Endings compared to only sixty-five Duds. At my age, I’ll take that every year.
Arizona was a streaky team all year. The Dodgers were more steady much like the tortoise and that led to winning more games during the regular season. But Mookie is a streaky player and although his hot streaks were longer than usual, he still had cold streaks that were brutal. The winner of a playoff series goes to the hare.
The Dodgers entered the playoffs against a streaky team that was hot and with a Mookie that was cold. Freddie might have been affected by a hbp. Muncy was totally over swinging until late in the 3rd game.
Miller couldn’t throw strikes but otherwise looked healthy. Kershaw looked unhealthy. Lynn looked like Lynn which was no surprise. If Miller had not been whatever he was in game 2, I think Roberts/Friedman would have been brave enough to start Pepiot in game 3.
I don’t think Roberts had anything to do with the disappointing pitching and hitting. I think he again failed to make the right call with Kershaw. Kershaw obviously wasn’t strong and was getting hit hard. Roberts kept nhim in too long but again he wasn’t responsible for the attitude of any player. It’s the playoffs.
Muncy had trouble with almost everything hit to him. He tried to hit the ball out of Dodger Stadium. Is that what a veteran leader does? Can they use their option on him and then trade him?
I would have liked to have seen more of Sheehan, Pepiot, and Grove and less of Lynn.
Extend Smith already.
Hope Lux will be a difference maker next year.
Congratulations to AZ.
May Oregon State win the Pac 12 Championship.
I meant to include in my comment above that Mookie hit the ball hard in game 3 but unfortunately they were at somebody.
I don’t want to come over here and say I told you so, I’m a Dodger fan too, and just as pissed off as all of you, but I’m seeing a lot of the same quotes and recommendations and platitudes from last year, and the year before.
“Need to find hitters who don’t strike out too much”
“The playoff format sucks”
“We should have won in 2017”
It’s like rinse, repeat, year after year. Win 100 games, win division, forfeit in playoffs. And believe me, you watched it with your own eyes, they clearly forfieted as there was no effort in that series at all. And management never gets fired and shrugs their shoulders “isn’t it just baseball”? is what Friedman told the media here. Wonder if he’ll be condescending and useless again this time.
It was clearly obvious to me, and some of you back in April and May that the Dodgers were not a championship caliber team. They did not have a championship caliber pitching staff/roster. That is why I did not drink the swill this year and will never drink the swill again under Friedman/Roberts. You think the Dodgers are a championship caliber team just because they won 100 games? Prove it. Win in October.
Moving forward, I would begin making changes right now if I were Walter and Kasten. Other teams make changes when their rosters and managements fail year after year.
First thing, immediate firing of Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes. Pink slips handed, goodbye, get out and dont come back. It’s Friedman’s moronic Decree that all starting pitchers go 5 and 80 and immediately hooked. We need management that values great starting pitching and that is not Friedman clearly.
I would keep Roberts, but on a short leash. One-year contracts and maybe a little more fire, passion would help here.
As for the coaching staff, I would fire everyone,. Ebel, Geren, Prior, SVS all gone. And yes I do know that the hitting was just as much a problem as the poor starting pitching. You know who I would hire as hitting coach? Normar Garciappara. That guy knows how to hit, and maybe some old school brand of baseball would help those pathetic hitters in October. Pitching coach? I’m extending an offer to Orel Hershiser. You see where I am going with this?
As for who replaces Friedman? Like I said, I don’t know, but the first guy that comes to mind is Theo Epstein. Someone who has built multiple championships accross different orginzations, and builds rosters around very strong pitching.If anyone has someone they would like to see take the reigns, let us know.
I would then immediately call Blake Snell, and start negotiating.
I Know some of you will not agree with me and that is ok. I did not like this pathetic brand of loser ball. I did not enjoy the season. I prefer the Dodgers not to get embarassed on the biggest stage.
Dang, how many pathetic playoff losses is this now? 8, 8 and counting. recommendation for Roberts though, when the team wins 100 next year and loses again in the playoffs, Bat Mookie Freddie 8th and 9th. Those guys are the saddest and sorriest “superstars” I have ever seen.
One other note, It was clearly obvious that the Dbacks, much like the Padres last year, out prepared the Dodgers. They watched video, read scouting reports, went over scenarios probably. Did the Dodgers do that? Or did they just put on the uniform, show up and suck? You guys tell me what you think.
You are a magic wand short of being able to accomplish what you say you want.
It’s all good Fred if you don’t agree with me.
If you like this brand of losing, then I am glad you enjoyed it. They’ll lose again next year. Enjoy the continued losing, I’m happy for you.
I didn’t say one way or the other regarding agreeing with you.
He’s just looking to vent Fred.
I agree Scott but I would let Roberts go too. Roberts lack of aggression and happy-go-lucky attitude affects the clubhouse. We need a manager that lights a fire under the team and holds everyone accountable when they don’t play up to their capabilities. That’s certainly not Roberts.
Accountability is something I have been saying for a while now, and it appears there is none of that anywhere in the orginazation. They’ll keep losing, year after year.
I find myself saying this every year at this time, so why should this year be any exception.
We need to bring in a star position player with ATTITUDE.
I love Mookie and Freddie and their disastrous performance this past week isn’t going to change that. Their performance and leadership in the clubhouse helped us win 100 games this year when most people thought we’d be lucky to get to 90.
BUT, they are both too low key and polite to bring the team out of the doldrums when our hitters start hibernating in the playoffs. Look at the effect that Harper has on the Phillies. I realize there aren’t many of those guys out there, but AF needs to make that a priority this winter. Find a guy through trade or free agency and do what you have to in order to add him.
I want someone in that clubhouse that the other players wouldn’t want to disappoint. With the current group, if someone goes 0-4 with 4 strikeouts, they know that Mookie or Freddie will pat them on the back and tell them it’s OK.
Simply put, we need the second coming of Kirk Gibson.
And this for my friend Bums, I’ve seen enough of Max at 3rd base. It would appear that our possibilities for DH next year are Ohtani, JDM or Max. If it’s someone other than Max, he needs to be traded. By all means, pick up his option, because he still has trade value and that contract is still a valuable asset.
We will have to find a compromise Jeff. It’s the playoffs. Hitters are trying to stay calm. If anything they need someone who leads with hits more than one who leads with fire.
Someone needs to tell hitters who are over swinging to calm down and go with the pitch and stop trying to pull a low and outside pitch over the fence.
They needed a younger Joc if anything.
I agree with the first part of your post Fred and would add about Harper, being a narcissistic peckerhead doesn’t necessarily translate to being a leader. I don’t know him or his relationship with his teammates but he has the presence of a loner.
As for a younger Joc, who’s available? Is Soto worth what it would cost?
This is our team. Mookie and Freddie are the leaders. They are going nowhere and no rah rah type personality is going motivate them. Changing management won’t do it either. Our wagon is hitched to those guys. If they’re flat, someone else just has to step up and make it happen.
I have no idea what changes are about to happen but my guess is management stays and a few new players will be added.
From what I’ve read, Harper’s teammates love him. He’s grown up a lot since his early days and is the undisputed team leader.
I don’t see getting Soto for one year. Too much player cost involved in that. If we want him that badly, wait one more year for free agency, although he’s a Boras client I believe and I can’t imagine that AF would be high bidder.
As far as someone to tell the hitters not to try to pull everything and not overswing, that’s what the hitting coaches are for.
I agree that management stays. That management group gets us to the playoffs every year. If there was a certain formula for winning it all, we’d have a lot more teams repeating as champs. When was the last time a team won two straight WS? It’s someone different every year.
I have no idea who the Phillies team leader is but from what I’ve read it’s Schwarber. Harper appears to be ready for October but Eaton says during the season he plays baseball then crawls back into his hole. I know he’s not really a superstar. The Dodgers had 4 players with a higher WAR than his. But, he’s still there making headlines and no Dodgers are.
I think a “younger Joc” is exactly the type of player the team AVOIDS pursuing in the off-season.
they seem to target the Superstar or the misvalued asset almost exclusively. And use the farm for the rest.
As I recall the younger Joc OPSd over .800 a few times, hit 36 home runs once. But he lost interest in playing defense pretty quickly. I want young guys like Yordan Alvarez and Cody Bellinger.
I’d like to see another year of Bellinger before spending big long term bucks but that won’t happen.
Outman in CF, Bellinger in RF, and Betts in the infield?
I want a 3rd baseman.
…””As far as someone to tell the hitters not to try to pull everything and not overswing, that’s what the hitting coaches are for.”…
I think Roberts needs to yell that from the bench and sit the player who can’t stop from flailing.
Did I just say Roberts is too soft? Oops. That’s the win the war vs win the battle thing. Gotta win the war before getting the chance to win a playoff battle.
The younger Joc is the one who broke up Scherzer’s perfect game with a home run and was the first one celebrating a teammates hit. Not the earlier version or the current version.
When you’re handed one of the best teams in baseball year in and year out, you should be expected to have an exceptional winning percentage. In 8 seasons under Dave Roberts tutelage, the Dodgers have 5 – 100 win seasons, 2 – 90+ win seasons, but won their only championship in a Covid shortened season. Why is Dave Roberts given accolades for all the Dodgers successes but is exonerated for their failures? Time to replace Dave Roberts.
I’m with you 100%
I think I’m there too.
I can’t say I am. I still believe it’s not the managers fault his players don’t do what they are paid extremely well to do.
We need to let the Braves know they have to fire Snitker.
His record looks quite similar to Roberts’.
Sounds like Friedman to me
Phillies Braves continue to just be the HR series.
Both teams are slugging teams.
That Series is a good one.
Well the Braves lost too, so, three 100 win teams eliminated, and only one bye team left standing, yep, the Cheetos.
Wilbon went off on MLB for their playoff structure. The fact the better teams are no longer in it is proof it doesn’t work.
I agree with him. Many do. But MLB is not going to change something that, in their view, works. Fair? F*** fair. Does it make money? Clearly this system does. The hottest, team, maybe a lucky bounce or a bad call in a couple of games, will continue to determine the October outcome.
Is there an algorithm for winning in post season? I don’t know. But if there is, Friedman will keep trying to find it. One thing is for certain, your starting pitching must be healthy and pitching well. And the offense? Just hope they don’t swallow olives game after game.
Might wind up with a WS with poor watch ratings.
I would bet Fred that no matter who makes it to the series, the ratings are going to be poor. No New York, Chicago or Los Angeles and those are the largest TV markets in the nation. No rooting interest in any of the teams from the cities remaining. I think Texas-Houston will get higher ratings than Arizona-Philly. Any World Series involving the Diamondbacks is not going to break any TV viewership numbers. Not with the NBA and NHL starting their seasons, college and pro football, interest outside of the four cities involved is going to be low.
I agree that low ratings is a possibility. But some folks might tune just to watch certain teams lose.
Frankly going forward from here I have no interest in who’s left.
Interesting articles around the publication circle this morning. Plaschke went off. Stark wrote “Stop Whining About MLB’s Playoff System”, the Phillies and Astros are showing how to do it.
Yeah, the Phillies and Astros are showing how to it. Their “paid to do it” players are actually doing it. The Dodgers? Theirs inexplicably are not able to do it.
I see no logical explanation for the offense being completely shut down by the same players they clobbered during the season. Many of the Dodgers players have been there before, so the bright lights should not bother them. So, what is the answer? The team has a year to figure it out.
I have more to say on some of this but will wait for others to post today.
The answer is, our guys feel the pressure when the playoffs start: some because, well, it’s the playoffs, and others because “shit, we keep failing every Oct so this Oct we NEED to step up”
Simple example: guys who have good eyes and don’t flail at pitches off the plate from April thru Sept (Mookie/Freeman) start swinging at balls off the plate. They are pressing and aren’t relaxed.
Call it pressure, call it choking, call it whatever you want. Bu we saw it last year, and we saw it , somehow, even worse, this year.
That being true (I don’t know if it is) what is the solution?
And with regard to the other playoff series where this flailing and pressing by the same players isn’t happening. You theory on that is?
AZ had momentum leading into the Milwaukee series and it increased after that victory. They were not expected to advance and maybe that allowed them to play loose.
The Dodgers didn’t have any momentum and put pressure on themselves to meet expectations and make up for last year. Mookie and Freddie were slumping at the end of the season and didn’t escape it when their playoffs started.
Smith looked good through the series. Muncy seemed to let the pressure make him swing too hard. Peralta and Heyward, veterans that they are, couldn’t use that experience help them be difference makers. Outman looked better than Peralta and Heyward but still didn’t get a hit.
I always feared the offense more than I did the pitching. Game one was lost because of pitching. Game two was lost because of zero offense. Game three was lost because Roberts and Friedman didn’t have the guts to start Pepiot and again lacked offense. How do I know about that Pepiot statement? Maybe they wouldn’t have won if Pepiot had started but at least they would have gone with what might be their future core and at least built on the future. The hitters choked and so did Roberts and Friedman.
AZ did not have much momentum heading into the Brewer series. In fact they lost their last 4 games of the regular season to CWS and Houston, and scored a total of 3 runs in those games. It makes their 5 game playoff run all the more unlikely and impressive. They ended the regular season limping home and backed into the playoffs. Baseball is an unpredictable game, especially in the playoffs.