More in Dodger Baseball
-
Merry Christmas To All
I want to wish everyone the very Merriest of Christmas’, and the Happiest of...
-
The Cohen Tax
The primary goal of the CBT is to encourage a competitive balance amongst teams...
-
View From Flat On My Back
It has been a miserable December so...
-
Max Muncy or Nolan Arenado
I just do not understand this fascination with Nolan Arenado. A great player to...
Spot on Bear. Our stars did not shine. They went super nova.
Horrendous performance by all of them. Other than his homer against the Padres, Smith has almost been an automatic out. Day game after a night game, I would have started Barnes because the Mets are not a running team. Felt bad for Brasier, he gives up 1 run and gets the loss. Baseball needs to change the scoring rules or at least tweak them when a team uses an opener. Knack lost that game. Not Brasier. The need Ace like performances the next two games. Striker Buehler and Yamamoto are going to need to pitch at a high level and keep the ball in the ballpark.
The Mets scored 6 runs against rookie pitchers.
How many rookies pitched for the Mets?
Will the Dodgers have to do this again? It’s a 7 game series. The answer is probably yes.
I say again, the team must hit. Right through the lineup. They have to hit.
What were the Dodgers thinking when they trotted out their B list Bullpen in Game 2? A real lapse of intelligence if you ask me. The formula here is to win with overwhelming force and not to make this drag out any longer than needs be. It also didn’t help when our top hitters decided to take a day off.
Jeff it was in the script, it’s a business lot’s of money involved also ratings.
Are you talking some kind of conspiracy?
That’s not going to get it done. However this lineup has always been feast or famine. Yesterday they got dumb and happy at the feast. Today they went on a starvation diet. Really ugly, hopefully they have a long miserable flight to NY and think about it. I hope Mr. August has a batting cage on the plane, I can’t get over how poorly Mookie disappears in most of his chances in the playoffs, it’s Mr. August until he proves he has any inkling of shining consistently in October.
Beuhler will do well next game, but they have to put some offense up for him.
Well, that didn’t work.
I don’t see anything to criticize Doc about. He’s been magnificent with the last 3 game plans and this one didn’t work. It was instantly a different cast of characters after Knack gave up 5 in the second. That is always the fear in a bullpen game. Actually it was the fear that fans had for Yamamoto’s start too. But Yamamoto pitched great. Knack didn’t.
The potential is always there for a walk, a bloop and a blast and you get ambushed for quick runs. The 6 runs in 2 innings by the Mets should, and did completely, change the pitchers used and and their order.
Despite folks here hollering for the Varsity Bullpen, it is terminally stupid to burn the high leverage arms, down 6 nothing. That is just Management 101. It’s not a lapse of intelligence. It’s minimizing the casualties.
Had the bats shown life, the plan changes. The bats didn’t produce. We will be fresh to live another day.
When you’re down early and the bats have no life you are wise to do exactly what Doc did.
Thanks again to John Smoltz for explaining what “arm-side” and “glove-side” means. He elaborately pointed out that since Sean Manaea is left-handed, he wears his glove on his right hand. So, if he’s pitching to his “glove-side” that would be inside to a right handed batter. Damn, he’s just a cornucopia of high level baseball information. Have you ever heard two guys ramble on more and say less than Smoltz and Davis?
So, do we expect Buehler? Put this one behind us and come out and swing it again. Ohtani needs to pull his head out and make a difference.
Tim McGiver use to be tough to listen to after awhile.
I’m with whoever said it the other day, Nomar is great to listen to. He doesn’t say to much, doesn’t try to be to funny, and when he does talk you know you’re listening to someone that knows the game.
agree.
That was me, I much prefer Nomar to any of the Dodgers analysts.
Albeit
I couldn’t stand Tim McCarver. He was the Master and making shit up. He’d make a statement that was basically false. A couple of plays later, he’s say “see?” like something just happened to prove his point. And it wasn’t there. He was an expert for all the fans who didn’t know better who thought he was insightful. Classic bullshit artist. Pretty good guy, I gather, but a phony.
I had a notebook full of his classics.
“Have you ever heard two guys ramble on more and say less than Smoltz and Davis?”
Only you, Phil. Only you. Turn off the volume and save your whining.
Ditto with all you mentioned above Phil.
I’m not a big Roberts supporter, but I thought his decision on who he used out of the BP was correct. He must have had a good idea that the offense was going to have a rough day. Boy, that was an understatement!
Let’s put some perspective on the BP recent use. They were a major part of an historic, all time record tying scoreless innings streak for the postseason. It hadn’t been done in 58 years. Twice in over 150 years. To think that could continue was being hopeful, at best, and completely unreasonable at worst. And, it was one pitcher and basically, one pitch, that put the team in a bad situation. Should Roberts pulled Knack earlier? Maybe. But he didn’t. I was surprised when he didn’t pull Knack. Knack was close to getting out of the inning. But, close doesn’t count and he failed to do so.
Did the team have chances to score later in the game? Yes, they did. But, they (the players) failed to do so. Against a pitcher that they owned in the past. As Phil mentioned above the top five hitters were a combined 0 for 19 with almost half of those ABs being strikeouts. This team has to hit in order to win. Not everyone at the same time (although that would be nice). Pitching won’t matter if the team doesn’t hit. To expect the pitching to completely shut down the Mets is pure fantasy. Do what they did, offensively, in game #1.
Will Smith is toast right now. I never thought I would write this, but Barnes should start game 3 in order to give Will two days off. He looks exhausted. His offense is going CT3 on us. He’s having trouble making contact and not adding anything to the offense.
Carry on.
As much as Kike’s DP was the killer, he really smoked it. Just the way it goes.
Embarrassing effort 1-5.
Coaching was not awesome either. I didn’t get it.
I have no idea why you wouldn’t march out the exact same pitchers that dominated The Padres in game 4. No idea.
different team? Don’t care. Knack was stupid. No other way to describe that.
Remove Knack from the roster install Worbleski.
Knack can only be removed by injury. Then Wrobleski could be placed on the roster. Problem lies in the fact that Wrobleski, like Knack, has not pitched since the 28th of September. I believed they should have put him on the roster to replace Vesia.
Fickle LAD fans go from Doc is a genius to he’s a dumb f***. One thing I detest is turning the game of baseball into a computer game. This is a game played by humans with human frailties. Knack was horrible. Can’t sugarcoat it. But it sure as hell is not because Doc is an idiot. This was not supposed to be a NLDS Game 4 bullpen game. It was not a must win game. The Dodgers were trying to get bulk innings from Knack. That is why he is on the roster. Some of you may not like that, but then again nobody on this site has a vote. That was a decision made by Doc, AF/BG, Marc Prior, Connor McGuiness, Danny Lehmann…They all had access to Eric’s stats and also talked with Knack. Gee. Bad game. S*** happens.
Knack gives up a lot of HRs. Yep, so does Jack Flaherty and yet he pitched 7.0 shutout innings. So does Walker Buehler. Let’s see what he does on Wednesday. BTW, the last time Knack pitched it was a shutout inning in NLDS Game 4. No HRs.
Maybe Brasier should not pitch as he gave up the HR to Lindor. Maybe Doc should only pitch Flaherty, and Banda, Kopech, Phillips, and Treinen for the rest of the series. Maybe Honeywell sneaks in there??? Well until he has another bad outing. Then Doc is going to a dumbs*** again.
Now that Kiké did not come through like Mark Vientos, should he be benched? Hits into a DP with the bases juiced and F9 with runners on 2nd and 3rd. Hell, he didn’t come through as well as Tyrone Taylor. Me? I just call it a bad game and expect better on Wednesday.
As bad as Knack was, the Dodgers had the opportunity to come all the way back. Ohtani/Betts/Teoscar/Freddie/Smith went 0-19 with 9 Ks. Edman has a 3 hit game and Kiké disappeared.
News flash. The Mets are a good team. Ask Devin Williams. Ask the Phillies and their outstanding pitching. For the playoffs, Vientos is on another planet in the playoffs.
Here is a list of computer baseball games that at least one of you can tap into and be 100% right every time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_baseball_video_games
Me? I will stick with the real game with both LAD player achievements and failures. I will revel in their accomplishments and be disappointed by their failures. But for NLCS Game 2, I am not blaming Dave Roberts.
BTW, Eric, maybe you should contact the LAD front office, tell them how smart and clairvoyant you are, and request that they consult with you before they make their decisions. Maybe they can get you on a Zoom Call.
Your boy has one COVID shortened WS under his belt. You act like he is John Wooden.
You clearly couldn’t care less what he does LOL. Your way or the highway.
Others? Not so much. He is open to criticism. He loses game 4 to SD and everyone on the planet has him on the hot seat. That’s a fact.
Are you angry? Because people think Knack was a bad idea? I mean, look at your post. Not good for business at my place of work. But whatever.
This reply is a classic.
That may be the most condescending post i have ever seen on a blog. Is he a founder/moderator/whatever?
We are criticizing the Dodger organization. He is criticizing us LOL. Talk about biting the hands that feed the blog. AKA “readers”
And doing so while dropping F bombs and multiple curse words. Wild. This isn’t personal. Just a bunch of dudes that wouldn’t throw Knack to the wolves in a NLCS.
“That may be the most condescending post i have ever seen on a blog. Is he a founder/moderator/whatever?”
I’ve seen worse. A lot worse.
I’m blaming the FO for not listening to me, Jeff, not Doc. They done fugged up. Now Buehler? Uh-oh. Taking another big chance. I understand that risk is always involved, but when you have an A list BP, use them. And use them in every game, if necessary.
Whats the point of having a blog if you can’t voice your opinions.? Saying stuff like ”you should contact front office’ etc is just idiotic and should be banned by the moderator. OOOPs you are the moderator!!!
I think that was well said Jeff. The only issue I have with Doc is maybe he left Knack in too long. If you see your guy doesn’t have it, move to the next guy. It’s not a good idea to try to force multiple innings just because the computer may say that’s the game plan.
And as for the rest of the pitchers I think they did fine. 7 innings, 2 earned runs. Knack was off. Stuff happens.
And I have no problem with using swear words for emphasis. Cussing doesn’t bother me. 3 years in the Marine Corps and several years of locker rooms and football coaches lexicon has conditioned me to it. Many people do it. I do it myself.
Maybe this game is a reminder that the stars need to step up.
The bullpen was on such a hot streak that a blow-up like this seems inevitable. And let’s not forget to give some credit to Sean Manaea, who’s had a nice bounce-back season with the Mets and will be a free agent this winter….
Next up is Buehler, right? Can he keep the Dodgers in the game? And then Yamamoto. Dodgers are going to need some pitching heroes…”
We only have two pitching heros that are starters at the moment, Yamamoto and Flaherty. But, we have some damned elite pitchers who are in the Bullpen. Use them.
The Yankee – Guardian game was entertaining. The Yankee pitching was excellent. Carlos Rodon was great, getting deep into the game with lots of swing and miss. Luke Weaver, who has emerged as the Yankee closer, got a 5 out save with 4 strikeouts.
The Guardians starting catcher, Bo Naylor, had a miserable night behind the dish. He’s a youngster at almost 25 and needs to be a good defensive catcher as he his .201 for the season.
When I was coaching, in the scouting reports, we would have referred to this kid an “ER”.
That’s a “catcher” with NO catch. See what I did here?…an “ER”.
He was miserable last night. He attempts to frame pitches by catching them in the web to keep the glove in the strike zone and he just flat missed the ball.
But he’s the poster-child for a lazy young catcher who lives down on that knee to receive a pitch. He has zero lateral movement on pitches in the dirt and he doesn’t even try to shift out to block the ball. It’s all Ole’. He’s a Matador back there.
He had 4 “Wild Pitches” all charged to the pitcher, of coarse, 2 scoring runs. And all of them should have been blocked.
Absolutely pitiful.
Chilly, fall weather is New York. It will be crisp for our game Thursday night.
It looks like we get Marvin Hudson for our game.
If so, here’s my book on Marvin – Crew Chief. really tight zone. Tight no and south. May expand inside to LHB. Very consistent. Hitter’s ump. No nonsense guy.
Enjoy the day off.
Great scouting report Phil, I’m going to have to pay a little more attention and see how accurate you were on Marvin, thanks.
Keith, I think I’m wrong who may be behind the plate for our game on Wednesday. The 6 umpire rotation may rotated 7 umpires. So we may get Nic Lentz. If so, here’s my report in him:
Nic Lentz – accurate. Low ball umpire; calls east and west and south. Tighter north. Calls less inside strikes to LHB. Calls more strikes to RHB.
We’ll see if he’s the guy.
A lot earlier than expected, Kershaw announced that he intends to pitch in 2025. Will it be for the Dodgers? He has a five-million-dollar player option which can increase up to 20 million based on appearances. He is just 32 strikeouts away from 3000. I think AF leaves the decision up to CK and he comes back. He is 25-10 over the last 3 seasons in 53 appearances with an ERA just a tad over 3. If he can pitch, he is still very effective. Speaking of stats, before yesterday’s game, the Dodgers basically owned Sean Manaea. He was 1-5 in his career with an ERA north of 7. But he is not that pitcher anymore. He changed his arm slot, and the Dodgers were swinging at echos all day long. Severino is 0-1 against LA in his career in 2 games, Quintana, is 3-2 lifetime, and Peterson is 1-0 despite an ERA over 5. Megill is 0-1 in three games. LA is going to have to get it done on the road. Something they were ok at, 11 games over .500. They were 3-0 at Citi-Field this year. They beat Lopez, Quintana and Ottovino.
Brent Honeywell spotted a snake on the steps of the dugout prior to the game. So one could say the Dodgers were snake bit!
In my humble opinion, which some here will disagree with, I think one of the Dodgers huge shortcomings is the lack of a power LH bat off of the bench. Say what you will about Heyward, but I would much rather see him on the roster instead of Taylor. Even after he was picked up by the Astros, J-Hey continued to rake and hit the ball hard.
Well, the Dodgers should have given Rushing a look during the last couple of weeks in the regular season. He could have been exactly that.High OBP LH bat with some power.
What use is Barnes for on the roster ? Rushing could have been the backup catcher too with Smith catching almost every inning.
What I would also have done: Give Bobby Miller another shot. He pitched very, very well in his last outing at OKC mid September. Would not have hurt iff he got a shot during that last series in COL . What to lose there ? But a lot to win if he has his stuff working.
And it is not that we could not use every big arm starter we have.
Two questions and decisions that should be asked.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There was absolutely no way they were calling up Rushing. The reasons are simple. A. He had only 37 total games at AAA, and he wasn’t catching in most of those games. He only had 6 games behind the plate. He wasn’t that impressive. They are grooming him to play left. He is nowhere near as polished as a catcher as Barnes is. And Barnes had a better BA than Smith did this year. You are beating a dead horse. He was never an option. His time will come, just not this year.
It is not a dead horse. You yourself raised the question about a missing LH bat on our bench.
And Rushing would not have been needed to catch a lot to begin with. HOw many innings has Barnes caught so far ? So your argument about him beiing rusty or not good behind the plate is moot.
What makes Rushing a top prospect is his bat. His OPS was high wherever he played and he has good power too.
So Yes, the Dodgers did not handle this topic well . They had nothing to lose if they had brought him up to take a look but a lot to win.
IMHO a huge mistake by the Dodgers .There are several experts, bloggers and fans out there who are thinking along the same lines as me.
If the Dodgers do not win it all this season this Rushing topic will be one of the things that will and should be discussed when evaluating the job the Dodgers front office has done in advance to the postseason. Bobby Miller IMHO the other topic. Both cases you had a lot to win and nothing to lose if you gavme them a shot at the end of the regular season.
You may not like those questions to be raised but they are valid and legit.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m among those who wanted to see Rushing at some point late in the season. For whatever reason the Dodgers chose not to. And for me, that’s the end of the Rushing discussion for this year. If they don’t expose him to ML pitching in the regular season they surely won’t give him a spot on the Postseason roster.
It is a dead horse because it was never going to happen. You can ask the question all you want, I care less. If you want the definitive answer, why don’t you just write Freidman and ask him?
And experience is one of them.
Well, that went downhill early and fast. From the leadoff homer to the GS in the second . Knack just did not have it and that is the problem with those BP games. Only takes one guy to be off that day and you are behind the eight ball.
Debatable if Doc should have pulled Knack earlier. In his in-game interveiww he admitted that Knack did not have it.
Dodgers got a good look at this game in the 6th and 8th but both times Kike could not come up a hero again.
Even in the 9th they had two on , no out with Betts, Teo and FF up. Three Ks later game over.
Very disappointing game that basically turned on two pitches.
Will the Dodgers keeep Knack on the roster after that shellacking he took ?
Alternatives ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can only replace him with an injury. Only alternative I see is Wrobleski because they need a second lefty.
Everyone knows that rule. Why do you have to repeat it every time that topic comes up ?
As if that would be the problem to say he is injured. At this stage of the season most of the players are not 100 percent physically.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, if you know the rule, you know that is the only way he can be removed from the roster, so why keep asking?
I am not asking for an explanation of the rule.
I ask if they should remove him.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After one bad game? Not likely. I went back and checked his performances over his last 5 games. He pitched well in 3 of them. Other than the debacle against the Mets, his worst game was against the Padres on the 24th, during the Dodgers last homestand. His biggest problem is his propensity for giving up homers. But Miller gave up more in less innings. So, who do you pick? Miller and Wrobleski are the only available pitchers who are starters on the roster who are healthy.
Sorry if I have to say it again: Should have given Miller another look at the end of the regular season in COl.
If he is right his stuff plays up . And he was very good in his last outing at OKC.
But okay, water under the bridge now as far as Miller is concerned.
The choice as you say would be Knack or Wrobleski.
Can the Dodgers afford another clunker by either one of them ?
I like Wrobleskis stuff better than Knacks but both do not inspire lots of hope.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wrobleski, since he is a lefty, and he can also be used out of the pen. He did that a couple of times this year.
I think with Miller it is more about his damaged confidence. His ERA in the minors despite one good game at the end was 6.00. In LA it was over 8. If he is totally healthy next spring, he should definitely be in the mix. He is not one to stifle his emotions. One bad thing cascades into something much bigger.
He hurt the team. Is that an injury? Would Wrobleski be better?
Would he be worse ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kersh will return next season!
At least some good news today.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow. One loss and people are losing their freaking minds. It is one game. It’s baseball, bad games happen to good/great teams. I had no problem with them going with Knack. He didn’t have it and put us squarely behind the eight ball early. That certainly changed the decisions on which pitchers to subsequently use. It was a bullpen game and it didn’t work out. Let it go. After the grand slam the Dodgers worked their way back and got the game within reach. But none of our “stars” showed up. The offense was pathetic.
Face the facts. If our big guns don’t show up, we will lose more times than not.
Knack should have been taken out after that double. Roberts himself said he did not have it. Have to use one of the high leverage relievers there to not let the game out of hand. If it does not work you still can go the way they actually did with Honeywell, Henriquez for multiple innings. And still wuld have had Casparius too.
Bad decision by Doc.Cost him the game right there. With all his good decisions so far this one cost the game.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
A good point. He probably should have pulled Knack sooner. But, that is all hindsight. I am sure if Roberts had a do over he would do it differently.
What irks me about that situation: He according to himself KNEW Knack did not have it that day and he still left him in.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!
Yep, that bugs me too. I did not know that until you posted it.
I agree. Roberts really wanted, and felt he needed, multiple innings from Knack. Knack has pitched well in the past. He didn’t have it on this day. Stuff happens. Move on.
BTW, who told me yesterday that using Hudson on Sunday in a blowout would not preclude him from pitching Monday ?
And now according to Doc the unavailibiliy of Hudson was a huge part in going with Knack ?Or not taking him out ?
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!1
The plan had Knack going multiple innings. The backup plan was…..?
Everybody has 20/20 vision the day after. Most of us would have pulled Knack before the home run. But what if he was pulled and Hudson came in to get Vientos and the same thing happened? Roberts would be verbally crucified by everyone in the blogosphere.
That one is done. We have 3 starting pitchers on this team and one of them is Buehler and his inflated ERA. This pen is going to be used a lot going forward and like it or not Knack is an important part of this pen.
If the same happens (GS vs one of our high leverage guys) you go exactly the same way we actually did. You only use one high leverage guy and thats that.
Everyway a bad decision by Doc and the Dodgers.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hudson budson just an excuse. Everybody should have been available. Your in a championship series have some urgency. I don’t blame doc for pitching knack. I believe he should have taken him out after the double. Obviously knack didn’t have it. If u r in the bullpen and u can’t pitch back to back with a day off coming up in a championship series u should not be on the roster.
Ohtani looked like he had never played baseball. Betts his usual playoff performance but to strikeout 3 times? Smith just terrible. Teo off day. They came back but too big of a hole. A total team meltdown from all involved except a couple. I did say why is Honeywell still in. He did a great job but throwing 60 pitches from a guy who hasn’t even been in a game I thought was abusing him. He threw as much or more than our starters. Mb he is a rubber arm but with 4 surgeries they just sacrificed him. He is done for 3-4 days.
but I said after game 1 it is one game. Regroup and win the nex one. This team has fight. Gotta win 4. The Mets are good but so r the Dodgers. Go Blue!!!!
By not using our high leverage guys yesterday Roberts now has lost one full game where he can use them. With the 3 consecutive games in NY coming up our high leverage guys will be able to go in only 2 games anyway. Can not use them 3 in a row. So he squandered Game 2 to use them.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Listening to some experts/bloggers/youtuber/Dodger players etc today the common theme:
Not worried about losing this Game 2.
Mets were hungrier. Wanted it more. Buehler going Game 3 will be fine. Dodgers the better team yaddayaddaydaa.
How can you not be hungry in a Game 2 of a LCS at home ?With the chance to put the other team really in a deep hole..
Exactly the laid back approach that will you NOT win a WS. I just donßt like that kind of approach.Hate it.
Go Dodgers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Note to Yamamoto: no more center cut fastballs to anyone but especially the top of this lineup.
Man did I misplace this post!
Blue Techker Good post! We will be linking to this particularly great post on our site. Keep up the great writing