The Thlot Plickens

With just 10 games left until October 1st, when the season ends, the playoff roster remains a mystery.  I think we all have a pretty good idea that certain players will be on the roster.

Position Players

  1. Grandal
  2. Barnes
  3. Bellinger
  4. Forsythe
  5. Utley
  6. Seager
  7. Turner
  8. Hernandez
  9. Granderson
  10. Taylor
  11. Puig
  12. Ethier

I left off Adrian Gonzalez because he is not anywhere near healthy.  The Dodgers would love to have him on the roster, if not just out of respect for who he is, but he is obviously a long way from healthy.  I think he is facing back surgery or retirement.  Some think Farmer should be on the playoff roster, but that is only if the intend to play Barnes at 2B and so far, that does not appear to be in their plans.  Utley and Forsythe will be a strict platoon at 2B… and that’s fine.

Besides, Farmer is not familiar with this pitching staff at all.  I am not going to put Kershaw’s slam on anyone but Clayton. However, that was only the 5th game this year that Barnes has caught when Kershaw was pitching.  Familiarity means a lot. I am a fan of both Grandal and Barnes.  Yasmani has another 20+ HR year and that is something, but in  other ways he has regressed this year.  His OB%, OPS and BB are down, while his strikeouts are up. He has a lot of value as a pitch-framer (Barnes is pretty good too) and he pulls balls back to strikes with regularity, which is why he has so many passed balls – he’s moving the glove as he catches the ball.  That’s a two-edged sword.

Clayton and the rest of the staff like pitching to him, regardless of the passed balls, but it is an issue. I think Rob Manfred is going to try and push for electronic balls and strikes, if not in 2018, then in 2019 and if that happens, Yasmani’s value goes way down. Catchers who hit 20 HR’s don’t grow on trees.  Grandal is 5th in HR among catchers, but he’s tied for 1st in passed balls.  He is 3oth in OPS among catchers. Last year he was near the top.  Hopefully, last night’s HR will get him started – he can get hot and do a lot of damage, but if not, Austin Barnes may catch 60% of playoff games.

Andre Ethier looks healthy enough to make a difference, so I see him on the roster, at the expense of Joc Pederson who is just plain lost!  Granderson and Hernandez will platoon in LF and one thing I am worried about is Corey Seager’s elbow. It is bothering him.  Watch his face when he throws.  I have no idea what it is but it could be serious.

Pitchers

  1. Kershaw
  2. Darvish
  3. Hill
  4. Wood
  5. Morrow
  6. Watson
  7. Maeda
  8. Ryu
  9. Avilan
  10. Fields
  11. Jansen

I think those 23 are locks, but there are many others vying for the last two spots:

  • Cingrani
  • Stripling
  • Stewart
  • Baez

El Gasolino (tip of the hat to DodgerRick) is a mess.  I would carry 13 pitchers just due to uncertainty.  It boils down to Cingrani, Stripling and Stewart.  Stewart has a 4.50 ERA is September.  Stripling has a 6.63 ERA in September.  Cingrani has a 1.29 ERA in September. El Gasolina has a  20.77 ERA in September… Ouch! To me, Cingrani makes it and so does Stewart.  Just my 2 cents… and it might change today or tomorrow.

This article has 58 Comments

  1. Kershaw’s HR was on Kershaw. He missed his spot. The pitch was belt high and in the middle. Barnes caught Kershaw. Maybe that tells us something. They may platoon at catcher. Although Barnes is hitting righties very well.

    I cannot believe you have Baez as a possible reliever in the play offs. Even the announcers were talking about Baez throwing all fast balls. Something is wrong. Is it Grandal’s fault or is it Baez’s fault. I think the pitchers are losing confidence in Grandal. Maybe he is on PEDS again. I am no longer a fan of Grandal.

    Here is what I do if I was the manager. I would have Beuhler be the 5th starter for the rest of the year. I would move Maeda and Ryu to the bull pen. They need experience coming out of the pen.

    Cingrani is the only reliever of the four posted above I would put on the play off roster.

  2. From David Schoenfield ar ESPN:

    Who starts in the outfield? Depth is fun, until everyone stops hitting and the manager doesn’t know who to play. I think we can determine this: Chris Taylor will start in center field (and hit leadoff) and Yasiel Puig will start in right field. Taylor has struggled in September (.212, 19 strikeouts, three walks), but he has been the regular starter in center field ever since Joc Pederson was demoted in mid-August, making some starts at shortstop only because Corey Seager has rested a sore elbow at times.

    So that leaves left field. Curtis Granderson is still the likely starter against right-handed pitchers, even though he has hit .126 in 101 plate appearances since coming over from the Mets. That’s a scary number, and I’m sure manager Dave Roberts would love to see Granderson have a couple of big games before fully committing to him. That leaves two other options in a platoon with Kike Hernandez, Cody Bellinger (with Adrian Gonzalez playing first base) or Andre Ethier. I have trouble seeing those as realistic options. Ethier has barely played the past two seasons; you don’t know how he can move out there and you’re basically expecting him to fall out of bed after two years of injuries and expect him to hit. Gonzalez doesn’t look healthy and has barely played in September; he probably doesn’t even make the postseason roster.

    As an aside: Please, Dodgers fans, quit complaining that Granderson ruined the team chemistry. It’s a ridiculous and embarrassing excuse for a team-wide slump.


    The rest of the article talks about each team’s problems… and they all have problems:
    http://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/82828/every-playoff-teams-one-big-lineup-question

  3. I like Austin Barnes a lot, and I think he has earned the primary starting position as catcher. However, I was thinking at the time of the Kershaw slam, would Grandal’s elite ability to pitch frame have changed that inning? It appeared to me that CK was close enough to both Ty Kelly and Rhys Hoskins that maybe Grandal could have gotten a strike on both Ball 4’s (and Ball 3 to Kelly). Regardless as to how anyone feels about pitch framing, it is a factor, and Grandal is in the elite category. But I agree, CK’s pitch was all on him. If he nibbled and did not get the call, that would be one thing…but to throw a belt high #1 is never going to produce a positive result. He knows better. Barnes should catch CK in his next two starts. Get any kinks out now.
    .
    I think Baez should be shut down for the year. No mop up. Nothing. Anytime Doc has a thought of getting Baez up in the pen, he should just go the the other “B”, Walker Buehler. A player needs to earn a roster spot, and especially a post-season roster spot. Baez has not earned it. I recognize and understand that there is very little solid pitching from the bullpen right now (save Morrow and Jansen), but Baez is in another category.
    .
    I have no changes to your position players. In my lineup, AGon does not make the NLDS or NLCS. It would be nice to have another RH bat on the bench, but Farmer is not that choice. Farmer travels with the team and becomes the backup catcher if something happens to Grandal or Barnes. Once the Division is clinched, I would have Farmer catch a couple of games. Maybe Wood and Darvish…just in case. I would stay with the 7 relievers you listed and go with Stewart and Cingrani (as LOOGY) to make 9. But WHEN the Dodgers get to the WS, AGon gets added as a DH, and the least productive reliever moves aside.

    1. I actually think Barnes is better at getting the low strike called than Grandal. I wondered if that pitch and location would have been called at all though. Yes, CK missed his spot, but I wasn’t a fan of the intended pitch either.

  4. Like a little kid at Christmas I open up my fish wrap and sneak a peek at the box score hoping upon hope I’ll see Agon with 4H & 5 RBI… No cigar…
    I see no need to justify Granderson’s spot on the team… He’s the player we got to replace a lost soul in Joc P. and yes he’s a positive addition on n off the field… I’m betting on him to get a clutch hit here n there during the post season.,,
    Is it me and my advancing age or does Verdugo look like a batboy rather than a member of the Blue???

  5. No more dicking around. Roberts need to play the starting lineup for the rest of the games and only use the pitchers and bench players who will actually be on the playoff team. If he hasn’t figured out it by now, he never will. Put the 25 best guys in the dugout and give the other 14 players nice seats in the grandstands.

  6. For those who cannot get enough Dennis Santana (like me), below is an article by ThinkBluePC’s Dennis Schlossman conversation with Santana.
    .
    https://thinkbluepc.com/2017/09/19/dodgers-prospects-an-in-depth-conversation-with-dennis-santana/
    .
    I am projecting him to start at AA next year, with an eye for a quick promotion to OKC. At 21 at AA, he looks to crack pre-season’s top 10 lists. Maybe he cracks a couple overall top 100. Starter or reliever, he will be on the 25 man come 2019.

    1. One more interesting snippet I read this AM…For all those that blasted FAZ for their “botched” attempt to sign Hisashi Uwakuma to a guaranteed three year contract…PER MLBTradeRumors – “Unfortunately for the Mariners, there’s far more troublesome news surrounding the health of right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma. Evaluations on Iwakuma’s right shoulder have revealed some form of structural damage, though the extent of the injury remains unclear at this time, as Iwakuma declined to specify the precise nature of his ailment. Iwakuma hopes to continue playing, but the 36-year-old will first need to ascertain the best course of treatment for his yet-unspecified injury.”

      1. AC

        Who calls the pitches, during the game?

        I know Honeycutt works with the catcher’s and pitchers, before the games.

        But it looks like a catcher, is always, looking into the dugout, in between the pitches, so is Honeycutt calling the game, and relaying his calls, to Grandal, during the game?

        1. Most of the time, Honey will meet with Grandal & Barnes before the game to go over the lineup and advise as to what has worked against each batter. They know the pitch and location that has given each batter a problem. There is a game plan for each batter. Grandal/Barnes will call the pitch. They will look into the dugout, but most of the time the signal is meaningless. But if Honey sees something, he will give an indicator & signal that will tell Grandal/Barnes to call a certain pitch & location.
          .
          But the person who has the most control over pitch calling is the pitcher. Even with the pregame strategy, the pitcher may come back to the dugout and say I cannot locate the fastball…the slider is not working…I have too much on my change (I cannot pull the string)…etc. They make changes in strategy at that time. Then during the game, the pitcher can (and will) shake off a pitch he does not want to throw. Ultimately the pitcher calls his game.
          .
          Unfortunately for Kershaw, if his slider is not working, he relies too much on his fastball. His fastball is generally very good and has movement, but it is setup by the slider. If the slider is not working, the batter will sit on the fastball. All ML hitters can hit a fastball.

          1. AC

            Thank you, because I have always wondered.

            I don’t want to assume it is the catcher, or anyone else, and from what you said, we shouldn’t assume, with all the different feed back, that can happen.

            Thanks again!

  7. I think all batters against Baez, Ravin, and Stewart look only for a fastball. When that happens 200 hitters become 400 hitters. Everyone knows all batters can hit a fastball. Stewart needs to go back to AAA until he learns to throw a curveball or a slider. His change also needs some work. Stripling looks better to me. He has good stuff. His main problem is his command. He has good command for 10 pitches and then he makes a mistake. You know what good hitters do with a mistake.

  8. It will be either Maeda or Ryu not both. In the past in a short series the Dodgers have carried extra position players not pitchers. It was 14 position players last year. They don’t need a bunch of long relievers in a short series. I posted my current prediction in the previous thread. If the Dodgers want to use Barnes early to pinch hit or to pinch run don’t be surprised if Farmer gets a spot. If Barnes were the starter, Farmer wouldn’t be considered. If not, I agree with Vegas that it would go to Cingrani.

  9. I would have taken El Gasolino out of the firing line a couple of weeks back.
    A trip to the DL was what was needed.
    Too late now.

  10. Re: flipping the switch back on:
    The Dodgers haven’t hit in a month. Notwithstanding the 4 games they won against the horrendous Giants and the very good Nats, they still aren’t hitting. The problems that starting pitcher have had (or the whole Pedro Baez issue) shouldn’t obscure the fact that they haven’t really hit.

    Here’s from True Blue LA:
    “In September, the Dodgers have scored three or fewer runs in 11 of their 19 games, including each of the last four. Prior to the season’s final month, the club had 48 such games (out of 132), no more than 12 in any month (August, out of 27 games).

    Their 59 games with three or fewer runs in 2017 are tied for seventh fewest in baseball. When scoring four or more runs, the Dodgers are 78-14 (.848), but when scoring three or fewer they are 18-41 (.305).

    That downturn has contributed to the club hitting just .213/.298/.368 as a team in September, averaging only 2.95 runs per game.

    In September, Dodgers batters have been ahead just 32.6% of the time, and behind 33.9%. They have been struck out in 25.6% of plate appearances in September, after 22.2% from April through August. The Dodgers walk rate was 10.6% before September, and 9.2% this month.

    Nick Pivetta and Aaron Nola have pitched quality starts against the Dodgers in the first two games of their series in Philadelphia. Opposing pitchers have thrown 10 quality starts against the Dodgers in September.

    Opposing pitchers have pitched quality starts against the Dodgers 31 times in 61 games since the All-Star break, after 32 quality starts in 90 games before the break.”

    Pivetta had the worst ERA in the National League – the vaunted Dodgers’ offense managed all of 2 runs against him.

    LF is a black hole. Grandal has fallen off of a cliff. 2B hasn’t been very good. Seager has lost his power, probably in part due to his elbow injury. Taylor looks tired and has stopped hitting too. The teams that the Dodgers will face in the post-season are hitting. All have good pitching staffs too.

    The Dodgers’ bullpen looks – well – like the team doesn’t know what roles they will fill. Here it is 9/20, and the bullpen is up in the air and no one knows who will be playing LF from game to game.

    It is incredible to me that the team was so good for 3+ months and they look so confused and disorganized now.
    They have 10 days to put it together.

    The Dodgers averaged 5.14 runs per game before the break, hitting .256/.342/.447. Since the break, they are down a full run, averaging 4.08 runs while hitting .240/.322/.418.

  11. After we lost Cody and Corey one after another, and went on that losing streak, you would think what would be best for the team, is to bring back a little normalcy to the team, before the season is over.

    For instance, like playing all of the players, that played together on the team, when the team was playing well, and took this big lead.

    Of course Granderson is going to take Joc’s spot, but everyone else should be playing, that played most of this season, that helped this team play so well.

    And if we face a leftie, that same platoon team, that we used against lefties, should play when we face a leftie, like they did, most of this season.

    We only have ten games left, and we are still not seeing Roberts, going with a fixed line up yet.

    Most of the things that Roberts is doing, doesn’t look like moves, that a former major league player, would make.

    And we know that Roberts and his bench coach, and the front office, all meet, and collaborate together.

    So some of the things that Roberts is doing, is not solely on him, because like I said above, the front office and Roberts, and his coaches, all get together, and have their own, little think tank.

    Right now the moves that are being made, or not really making the team any better, and these moves, are not bringing any stability, to the team either!

    We only have ten games to get this team back together like they were, and to allow the team to start gluing together and playing good baseball.

    But all of these different moves, and line ups, are not helping the team to do this.

    And actually our players seem to be reflecting all of the craziness that is going on, instead of just relaxing and having fun, and playing as the team, and playing like the team, they once were.

    Roberts didn’t have to bring Baez into that game, to see if Baez should be on the post season roster!

    Baez has an ERA over twenty in September, and he has a long history of not pitching well under pressure, and because of all of that, he has never pitched well, in the post season!

    The key here, is that Baez can’t handle any pressure, and he is constantly under pressure, in his own mind.

    And how good is a reliever to a team, if they can’t handle pressure, being able to handle pressure, should be prerequisite for any pitcher, that wants to pitch in the bullpen, and especially on a big market team, like the Dodgers!

    Roberts better help bring some normalcy to this team, and stop experimenting, with so little time left!

  12. Since the wild card was added to the Major League Baseball postseason in 1995, only three teams with the best record in baseball have won the World Series…

    In 1997, Nationals Manager Davey Johnson, then the manager of the Baltimore Orioles, famously filled his lineup with backup players Jeff Reboulet, Jerome Walton and Geronimo Berroa over better hitters Rafael Palmeiro and B.J. Surhoff because right-handers fared better against the Mariners’ dominant ace Randy Johnson. The result: two wins against him in a week and a playoff series victory.

    Then, there is this:
    https://www.stat.berkeley.edu/~aldous/Research/Ugrad/soncrant_presentation.pdf

    1. There should definitely be more of a penalty for being the Wild Card team. Under the current format, both Wild Card games should be played on the same day with their next series starting the following day. There is a good argument for a 3 game series followed with no off day for the wild card team. Bob Costas had an interesting idea. A 3-game series that begins with a double-header on day 1.

    2. I like to revisit the 2014 WS. Both KC and SF were Wild Card teams. In the Wild Card game , KC beat Jon Lester and the A’s in dramatic fashion , swept Angels in ALCS, and swept O’s in ALDS. They entered the WS going 8-0 in the playoffs.
      .
      The Giants beat Pittsburgh in the Wild Card game, beat the Nats 3-1 in NLCS, and the Cards 4-1 in NLDS.
      .
      In addition, KC swept the Giants in an Interleague series on August 8-10.
      .
      So if any team had the momentum and confidence, it was the Royals. Unfortunately for them, Madison Bumgarner had a different ending in mind. He pitched 21 innings, allowing 1 run, to win 2 games and get the save for Game 7.
      .
      Randy Johnson made up for 1997, with a 3-0 record in the 2001 WS.
      .
      If CK can emulate 2014 MadBum or 2001 Randy Johnson the Dodgers chances skyrocket. If he pitches like he did against the Cards in the 2013 NLCS Game 6 and Games 1 and 4 of 2014 NLDS, or 2016 NLCS Game 6, the Dodgers chances are not nearly as good.
      .
      Last year the Dodgers limped into the playoffs going 1-5 in the last 6 games, including being swept by SF in the final series, and got to Game 6 in the NLCS with the planet’s best pitcher on the mound for the good guys. We all know what happened.
      .
      The Dodgers will win the Division. They were the visiting team when they beat the Nats, and were the visiting team and could have beaten the Cubs.
      .
      So while I want the Dodgers to win every game, it is not going to matter what Granderson or Logan or Kike or Grandal do with the bat if CK, Rich Hill,Yu Darvish, and Alex Wood do not pitch well. If CK gets hot, I like the Dodgers chances. If he does not, I don’t. Which Ace is going to dominate? CK/Hill, Lester/Arrieta, Scherzer/Strasburg, Greinke/Ray.

      1. Great starting pitching matters. I think that the Dodgers think of Darvish as their #2 (?) but Hill has pitched better down the stretch than anyone – you’re right.

        If all of the top teams have great starting pitching (not sure that the Cubs qualify this year) then hot hitting might well matter. I know that everyone says that the post-season is a crapshoot, and that momentum doesn’t necessarily carry over from the regular season to the post-season, the way that the D-Backs have hit lately sure seems to give them some kind of advantage.

        1. Even though Darvish has the better stuff. It might be wise to throw him in AZ rather than Hill who gets demolished in that park.

      2. AC

        I agree if Kershaw doesn’t step up, it will be more of the same.

        And that is why I don’t think we talk about any extension with Kershaw, until after the post season.

        1. Maybe it is time for others to step up other than rely on Kershaw to throw a shutout which he did in Game 2 of the NLCS. Let us not forget the final game of the playoffs last year, the Dodgers got shutout and folded as soon as Kershaw fell behind. Seager, Grandal, Puig, and Utley haven’t really done much in the playoffs for example. Other than Kenley who have the Dodgers been able to count on in the pen? Kershaw has done enough for this organization to get an extension if he wants one. He might not opt out at all. Remember, the Dodgers offered him a longer deal and he was uncomfortable with such a monstrous deal. If the Dodgers can survive all of the dead money they have carried the past three years and will probably do so next year with Gonzalez, they can handle an extension to Kershaw.

          1. Hawkeye

            Kershaw had Greinke pitching behind him, for three years, and Greinke pitched better.

            And Hill pitched a really good game against the Cubs, too.

            And just because we didn’t score, it still was an elimination game.

            I am not saying Kershaw never pitched well in the post season, because that isn’t true!

            But he has had trouble in elimination games.

            And non of those other players, are getting paid the money Kershaw makes, so they are very different.

            Kershaw is the highest paid pitcher in all of baseball, so it is not wrong to expect him to be the dominate pitcher he is in the regular season, in the post season.

            That is part of the reason he is making the big money.

            Because pitching is very important in the regular season, and pitching is even more important in a short series, in the post season.

          2. Greinke didn’t beat the Mets either. Was that an elimination game? I believe so. He pitched ok in that game, but I don’t blame him as much as Mattingly.

      3. I think the big thing is not having to overuse Kershaw in a game or throughout a series.
        .
        Obviously if he can do what Bumgartner did, it would be great, but he 99% won’t. Because it rarely happens.
        .
        Let’s hope another pitcher doesn’t do it to the Dodgers and that Kershaw does what he does on regular rest.

  13. Tonight’s lineup:
    Taylor-cf
    Seager-ss
    Turner-3b
    Belly-1b
    Puig-rf
    Barnes-c
    Granderson-lf
    Forsythe-2B
    Wood-p

    1. This is going to be the playoff lineup against RHP. Utley has played back to back nights, and will probably go tomorrow against Leiter. Utley switching with Forsythe against a good RHSP will occur, but Forsythe will bat against some RHSP. Barnes catching against RHSP in Game 1 and Game 3 of the series may indicate where Doc is leaning. Grandal will undoubtedly catch tomorrow…day game following a night game.

  14. If the Dodgers were in a pennant race, Dave Roberts would not be managing like this. Now, figure out why?

  15. I mean let’s be real here. We’ve been crappy lately. The magic we used to come back so often has disappeared. Who knows how we’ll finish up over these next 11 games. Assuredly come Oct 6 we’ll be the NL West champs, most most likely we’ll have the best record in the NL, and its likely we have the best overall record in baseball.

    If we lose on Oct 6, it’ll be because we’ve lost all momentum since late Aug, and that’s it. If we win Oct 6, it’ll be because we were coasting the last 6 weeks and we turned that switch on when we needed to.

    So bottom line, we can all bitch about Doc, Baez, Grandalson, and Forsythe for the next 16 days. It doesn’t matter, because the real story gets written starting Oct 6 7pm.

  16. Roberts is going to play granderson because he really has no choice. Gonzalez is too hurt to play apparently, Ethier is risky due to 2years of health problems, joc is totally lost, verdugo is not ready for whatever reason, toles is hurt. If Gonzalez was himself what a great position we would be in. He could fill that 5 hole quite well but I guess he is hurt. So, for better or worse we have to roll the dice with granderson. However, anyone can get hot for the playoffs and granderson is one of the guys who has done it. We just need a couple of hot pitchers with our offense jelling. Just like every other playoff team. As bobby said when the playoffs start we shall see if we can be that one to have the hot players.

    1. basically you’re right. What comes first, a 3 run hr from Granderson (damn, we got the vet who came thru when it mattered!!), or JD Martinez (damn, we could’ve had him but we let him go to our rivals)

      The praise/excuses each inning would be fun to read, if the games weren’t going to be so nerve wracking!

    1. It’s not a great situation right now for RH bullpen arms.
      .
      Maeda or Ryu (if Wood is the 4th starter) could be in play.
      Buehler too.
      .
      Roberts intimated that the usage of Morrow and Fields is a concern.

  17. As the “Who wants to be on the playoff roster?” contest continues:
    Baez – Fail
    Stripling – Fail
    Hernandez – Pass
    Stripling – Fail.
    Next contestant ?

  18. Well that was Fun…Not! Can’t blame Baez tonight. The bats came back twice but the bullpen was fugly.

    1. The Dodgers have real problems in the pen. I like Morrow a lot, but he hasn’t been through this so still of a bit of a question mark come playoff time so if he doesn’t come through we have huge problems. Other than Kenley and Morrow, I’m not sure what they’ve got. I kind of like Avilan in the 7th despite his boner of a play. Hell, I don’t know. Maybe Watson, but he’s been mostly shakey too. Games like this is what makes me want to see more Buehler for better or worse. I think they should be getting Maeda comfortable in the pen sooner rather than later. I know one thing for sure. Ross Stripling isn’t a 7th inning guy.

      1. Hawkeye

        I think you made some great points,!

        I rather have Buehler and his stuff, and his fastball, then anyone else, in these situations.

        At least Buehler will be learning while he is doing this, and it would be a lot easier, to see a kid make a mistake.

        And how about leaving the starters in the game, until the seventh, if they are pitching well.

    2. Vegas

      This game is still on Roberts tonight.

      Why is Forsythe getting more at bats, against a rightie, then Chase?

      Why didn’t Roberts bat for Granderson, when a leftie came in, the first time?

      Why did Roberts, stick Stripling back into the fire quickly, after just giving up a big HR.

      And why did he even take Wood out in the sixth, with what this bullpen has been doing?

      And why didn’t Morrow start the eighth instead of Avilan?

      And this game wouldn’t have been that big, if Roberts didn’t purposely give away that game, that he allowed Baez to single handedly lose, the night before.

      1. My biggest problem with Avilan are too many walks and that’s what started the inning. He’s got the ability to get righties and lefties so starting him in the 7th wouldn’t be a bad spot for him. It’s odd that Morrow was up but not in to start the 8th. I bet we see Buehler tomorrow.

      2. Is this a serious series of questions?!?!?!?!
        `
        BECAUSE the game isn’t about winning it’s about answering questions for the playoffs.
        `
        As per Mark’s ESPN article above, who is the starting LF if not Granderson.
        Who are the RHRP if not including Baez and Stripling.
        They took out Wood because he pitched well, and because his substitution led to the rally in the top of the inning.
        Because Avilan has to be evaluated.

        1. Never did I think Cingrani could get on the playoff roster. It’s looking like a real possibility. Baez is mentally shot. Stripling is out of gas. Last year the Dodgers went with 11 pitchers in NLDS. Maybe they go 12 this year

          Kershaw, Darvish, Wood, Hill, Morrow, Kenley, Fields, Maeda, Watson, Avilan, Cingrani. That’s my 11 and the door is open for Buehler.

  19. So – to lose 3 in a row to a team with the worst record in the NL right before the playoffs, and to lose ugly? We’re really not supposed to care about that?

  20. So, how about Joc dogging it down the line tonight? His regression this year has really hurt and forced the Dodgers to get a sub-par player like Granderson.

  21. Mark, trying another address since the two comments I sent hours ago are still “awaiting moderation”.

  22. Their play has been underwhelming lately but a couple quick points: They played teams like Milw, AZ, Col and Nats with playoff aspirations 16 times. The Padres and Giants not only played tough against the Dodgers but also against the Snakes and Rocks. They have actually played 22 games in 22 days with 1 off day and a doubleheader, and have 7 more to go before another one. Some of the auditions were brief like Dickson, Font and Castillo. The team looks a bit tired and flat and will benefit from the down time before the playoffs start. They may have overlooked Philly with their best starters going and at least get the Giants and Pads at home for 6. They may scuffle to the finish line but will be ready (I hope and believe) when the bell rings to play their best.

  23. I have the same hope as you Vegas. When the bell rings they will be ready. These losses have been a total team failure. Early the starting pitching was not good. Then the bats failed. Now the bull pen is failing. I will not say anything more about Stripling. Stripling and Baez have now pitched themselves off the play off rosters. We need to see what Ryu and Maeda can do in relief.

Comments are closed.