Friday, October 11, 2013

NLCS Game 1 Thread: Oct. 11 vs. Cards, 5.30p

Zack Greinke (0-0, -.-- ERA) vs. Joe Kelly (0-0, -.-- ERA)

This NLCS matchup is what most so-called experts predicted at the beginning of the season, by all accounts. Yet the two teams took different paths to get here. St. Louis mostly took the direct path, i.e., they were pretty damn good all season. The Dodgers, on the other hand, took a winding path that almost got them lost and eaten by rabid dingoes, but ended up right back where the predictions originally had them.

We send Zack Greinke, our Ace #2, out to try to take the first game from under the Cards and keep the momentum going from the NLDS. We'll need it, especially from the hot bats of Ramirez, Crawford, Uribe, and Puig. The addition of Ethier, who is likely to gets the start tonight, should add to that firepower. The Cards will counter with an offense that is driven by manufacturing runs, especially with RISP,  by a bunch of light-to-medium-hitting white guys.

Let's pause a moment to taunt St. Louis:

Cardinals 2013 Team Picture

Personally, I started out the day nervous. Then I read Sax's morning post about the cliched media narrative on the Dodgers and Cards, and I got angry. Then I saw the post-season roster, and I got thirsty. Then I listened to analysis of the matchup on a few radio shows, and got nervous, angry, thirsty all at once. And that's pretty much where things stand now. After all the predictions, though, and all the analysis, it will come down to what it always does: Dodgers gotta keep pitching.*

cc: Fred's Brim

*That, and which shirt SoSG Sax wears

Dodgers tickets

image: courtesy Ft. Wayne, IN Civic Center

428 comments:

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Dusty Baker said...

Punto is actually one of Tommy's nuts.

Steve Sax said...

10 Ks for Greinke. Way to go, Zack.

We had better take the lead here in the ninth or we've got fucking Belisario coming in next

QuadSevens said...

KKKKKKKKKK!

spank said...

Fucking Greinke!

QuadSevens said...

Dammit! Orel got me again.

spank said...

Gotta leave Greinke in for the ninth. He's pitching better than all the relievers.

Dusty Baker said...

Great stat from Eric Stephen:

"Dodgers with 10 K in a postseason start: Newcombe, Erskine, Maglie, Koufax (3x), Drysdale, Belcher, Kershaw, Greinke"

Steve Sax said...

We need a HR here Andre

Cliff Beefpile said...

Don't try to out-beard Wilson, asshole!

I can't believe I just said that.

spank said...

Like i said somewheres..we need complete games.

Dusty Baker said...

Dre HR would indeed be oh so soothing.

Steve Sax said...

My only fear about leaving Greinke in is that Don will then start him in Game 3

Steve Sax said...

Mattingly said he just wanted Ethier to play and to make plays. Well, let's see:

--missed ball against the centerfield wall ties the game
--flailing K here in the ninth

Paul said...

AJ Ellis Is not gonna do much. Pray for a walk.

Dusty Baker said...

Dre up 3-0 in the count and gets the call to take the next two. One of most frustrating things in baseball to me. I see taking 3-0, but why give the count back?

#ThisIsWhyI'mNotAManager

Dusty Baker said...

AJEllis goes 0-4. Weak sauce, AJ2K.

Dusty Baker said...

It's not the rally towels, it's the fact that the whole crowd is white.

Steve Sax said...

That was a bad ninth inning. Here we go.

Gotta bring in either Wilson or Jansen.

spank said...

Lame

Dusty Baker said...

Wilson is coming in.

Steve Sax said...

The next big thing apparently is an idea from the 1950s. Way to innovate.

spank said...

Whitest crowd i have ever seen. even more than Boston.

QuadSevens said...

Beltran flies out.

QuadSevens said...

Mothballs strikes out.

spank said...

Ol' numbnuts struck out

QuadSevens said...

Walked him.

QuadSevens said...

Molina up now.

Dusty Baker said...

Walk, but not the worst idea in that situation.

Paul said...

Throw strikes Willie.

spank said...

Stoopid ump forgot to stop by Lenscrafters before the game.

Steve Sax said...

come on, wilson

Paul said...

That was bad.

Steve Sax said...

this is not going well. two outs, then two two-out walks

spank said...

Dodgers are driving me to not drink.

Dusty Baker said...

Walk, and that was bad in that situation.

Paul said...

There we go. Now keep him honest.

Dusty Baker said...

Deuces are really, really wild.

spank said...

throw strikes,fleabag

Steve Sax said...

how was that not a strike ump

Steve Sax said...

is Wilson doing his Belisario impression?

Steve Sax said...

This will not go well for us.

Dusty Baker said...

Is Wainright going to bitch about those white towels?

QuadSevens said...

Extras!

Paul said...

Man I was wrong about Brian Wilson. Guy is gonna get paid in the off season.

Dusty Baker said...

I knew BW had that.

spank said...

I'm gonna ask Brian wilson if i could be his personal beard trimmer. i'm pretty good with a hedge.Just pay me with booze and ramen.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

I want a HR...Dead or Alive

spank said...

Crawdude disappoints.

Paul said...

We need a retro Mark Ellis pull shot.

Dusty Baker said...

@Neeebs

An old Choate for a pillow...

Paul said...

Neeebs is lying in a bed or roses.

spank said...

go go go go

Paul said...

Run Forrest!!!

QuadSevens said...

Oh yeah!!

Dusty Baker said...

3X!!!!!!

Dusty Baker said...

LHWG triple????

Paul said...

We have to score now!

Dusty Baker said...

Pinch run w Dee Gordon here, right? Ohhh.

Paul said...

Come on Michael Diamond!

spank said...

Pussy willows.

Dusty Baker said...

No, mine's Clarence.

Paul said...

Drive that ball Mike

spank said...

FUCK!!!

QuadSevens said...

Dammit!!

spank said...

Could have used Dee Gordon there. Just saying.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

Paul said...

No way was he going to make that.

Wicks said...

Agon would have hit it deeper :(

Cliff Beefpile said...

That's completely on Wallach. That was just dumb.

Paul said...

Now Hanley has been up. So yeah we are screwed.

BJ Killeen said...

Wallach should have never sent him

Steve Sax said...

Great throw by Beltran, great positioning by Molina. Gotta admit.

Wicks said...

Momentum on their side now, gonna be tough.

Wicks said...

He was never tagged BTW.

Steve Sax said...

I do like MEllis going hard however. Way to go Mark

spank said...

Beltran has to make that throw. He was 10 feet away from the infield.

Steve Sax said...

With Beli out there, my expectations are rock-bottom low

spank said...

i think Beli's on coke again.

QuadSevens said...

Belli gets a K to quiet the crowd.

Steve Sax said...

Kolten Wong, .153 hitter, in to be the next Cardinals' unexpected hero

Dusty Baker said...

Is it wrong if I make fun of Wong's name?

spank said...

1 to three inning for Beli? OMG!

Steve Sax said...

On to the 11th. Surprisingly smooth inning for Beli (small sample sizzle, I know)

BJ Killeen said...

I'm stunned. And what was the chick in the background doing? Casting a spell?

Steve Sax said...

Hey, Mitsubishi Outlander driver: keep your eyes on the damn road, idiot

Paul said...

Mmmmmm small sample sizzle

Steve Sax said...

Does Dee Gordon get royalties for each of those slim Jim commercials?

Or do they go to his batting average?

Steve Sax said...

@Paul: speaking of which, I need to fry me up some bacon

Steve Sax said...

Axford has some pretty sweet tube socks going on

Paul said...

Would have been nice to see if Puig could get a two out hit.

Steve Sax said...

Ron Darling is obsessed with whether they are guarding the line

Steve Sax said...

Puig: the tbs guys are mocking you. Shut them up.

Dusty Baker said...

Vin says Puig loos confused, and that's a perfect word to use for him thus far.

Paul said...

It is from all his days playing with Dwight Gooden.

Steve Sax said...

HORRIBLE strike 3 call there, ump

Paul said...

Bullshit ump.

Dusty Baker said...

Platinum sombrero for Puig.

spank said...

that sucked

Paul said...

We have asked too much from Uribe. But I'll ask.

Paul said...

Dammit.

Steve Sax said...

I FINALLY just turned the tbs guys off and Vin on. Let's do this, Scully.

Paul said...

No one is stepping up. Come Dre! You use to be like Neebs Fiero, clutch.

Paul said...

Damn I lost Neebs e again. I better find that before he comes home from the One Direction concert.

Dusty Baker said...

Sax, which t-shirt are you wearing?

Steve Sax said...

Ethier draws a walk. Boy, it would be nice to run for him here...oh wait, you've already played the Gordon card.

Paul said...

Do something Cool AJ.

Steve Sax said...

I feel like the Gordon card should be allowed to be challenged by the SoSG population, sort of like the +4 card in Uno

Steve Sax said...

@Dusty: I'm wearing the blue SoSG shirt.

Paul said...

I'll take it.

Steve Sax said...

Vin is ahead of DirecTV by a split second, which was good in that circumstance.

Come on, Punto!

Dusty Baker said...

Wallach sends Ethier home on that AJ Ellis single j/k

Paul said...

Come on Punto!

Steve Sax said...

Punto doesn't like that second strike call. Nor do I.

Steve Sax said...

Punto Ks. Dammit.

Dodgers have left 10 on base.

spank said...

Pinche Punto

QuadSevens said...

No clutch hits tonight.

Dusty Baker said...

Sweet shitsucking jesus!

Steve Sax said...

We have eight hits, twice as many as the Cards, and yet we can't score

Hideo Nomo said...

I fucking can't with this.

BJ Killeen said...

Do these guys know what the word consistency means?

Steve Sax said...

Man, this is going to be a depressing loss.

Dusty Baker said...

Even if we win, it will still be depressing.

Steve Sax said...

Magic just said "we have great hitting". I am not sure if he's talking about this team right now.

BJ Killeen said...

You don't win games this way boys

Steve Sax said...

St Louis crowd allowing their little kids to be out MUCH too late. We should call Child Protective Services.

Steve Sax said...

Going back for another Sapporo. It's been Sapporo and MGD for me all night.

Paul said...

A win is never depressing. But I don't think we are going to win. Fuck.

Dusty Baker said...

MGD? No wonder we're struggling, Sax!

Paul said...

Now if we walk this dude. I'm gonna flip.

Dusty Baker said...

We had like 10,000 strikeouts this game followed by 1 millions balls.

Steve Sax said...

Leadoff single for the Cards. Here we go.

Paul said...

Puig praying?

Dusty Baker said...

1-22 streak broken for Carpenter. Of course. Here comes the losing, boys and girls.

Steve Sax said...

Puig is lucky that ball didn't get by him

Steve Sax said...

I will say this: if we lose this game, Puig is going to be coming back with a fucking vengeance. He is pissed.

So must be A-Gon, for getting yanked too early.

Steve Sax said...

Speaking of getting yanked early, can we pull Mattingly from the NLCS roster?

Dusty Baker said...

Speaking of getting yanked...

Dusty Baker said...

When is the last time one of our pitchers was ahead in the count?

Neeebs (The Original) said...

What the fuck is going on. Help a brother out here.

Orel said...

Just made an airport run. Didn't expect the game to still be on when I got back.

Dusty Baker said...

@Neeebs

Put it this way: an encore of Bad Medicine would likely be better.

Orel said...

Are you backstage, Neeebs?

Orel said...

Kudos to the bullpen...so far.

Steve Sax said...

NIce play Young. That ball gets by, we might lose.

QuadSevens said...

Going to the 12th.

Dusty Baker said...

Can we just flip a coin to see who wins? I can't take this.

Steve Sax said...

@Orel 9:39p: Did you de-select the "radio" option in your recent car purchase?

Orel said...

It was that or the 8-track, Sax.

Orel said...

Crawdaddy single!

Steve Sax said...

Crawdaddy leadoff single, in line to be the 11th Dodger LOB

Hideo Nomo said...

Here we go.

Dusty Baker said...

Come on, baseball gods, we're due!

Steve Sax said...

@Orel 9:43p: can I use the 8-track for my Mego 2XL when you're done?

Orel said...

Cool, Sax. I'll bring my Vectrex.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Frankie said I did it my way. Big ball time.

Steve Sax said...

Mellis bunts him over, and now they IBB Hanley

QuadSevens said...

No IBB if AGon is in.

Wicks said...

HanRam doesn't get walked if Agon is still in there. Thanks Donnie!

Steve Sax said...

Young, it's up to you

Orel said...

Vin just said "Who knows what 'up' is?" Someone sample that to make him say WHATUP!

Hideo Nomo said...

Come on, Mark Loretta!

Orel said...

Young DP. Donnie is being outmanaged by a mile here.

QuadSevens said...

Terrible.

Wicks said...

man we suck tonight

Hideo Nomo said...

Amazing.

Steve Sax said...

Toniiiiiiiiiiiiight. We are not Young.

BJ Killeen said...

Money well spent on Young, Ned. He's Jim Thome with even less talent, if possible

Wicks said...

Solid work there Sax.

Steve Sax said...

AM570 is running clips from the Wednesday Dan Patrick interview with Don Mattingly, and how everyone is in love with Don.

Let's run that call-in show again Monday, shall we?

Steve Sax said...

Let me amend my earlier comment:

Toniiiiiiiiiiight. Young is old.

Paul said...

Once again our talent has to defend us from our brains. Don't know if we can do it for another inning.

Paul said...

Is Neeebs home from the Shakira concert yet?

Steve Sax said...

Little cavalier there for an extra-inning playoff game, aren't you Yasiel?

Dusty Baker said...

Just spilled a whole brand new beer. (cries)

spank said...

Are we there yet?

Orel said...

Good job, Withrow!

Steve Sax said...

NIce job, WIthrow.

On to the 13th!

Dusty Baker said...

Why are people on social media pissing and moaning about not using Kenley yet? Other than a tough inning for Wilson, pen has been solid. Why not wait for the go-ahead run then use Kenley in that save situation? How am I that far off base from everyone else?

spank said...

I don't remember Ernie Banks saying let's play two game ones.

Paul said...

I am saving the double of whiskey for the end of this game.

BJ Killeen said...

No Dusty. That's the only good call Donnie has made tonight

Dusty Baker said...

@Paul

I'm def in on that ticket, BTW.

Dusty Baker said...

Thanks, BJ. That's why we have this safe refuge from the stat lickers here at SoSG.

Orel said...

Not Puig's night.

Paul said...

Stop dropping your shoulder Puig!

Dusty Baker said...

Puig 0-this season seems like.

Paul said...

St. Uribe please bless us.

Dusty Baker said...

He blessed us with a shitty AB.

Paul said...

Soooooo Dre about that clutch thing.

Orel said...

Ugh.

Dusty Baker said...

"And so the Dodgers tiptoe through the 13th" -Vin

Good way to put it.

Dusty Baker said...

It is waaaaay past Vin's bedtime.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Bad Medicine now playing. Es Verda.

Dusty Baker said...

Sorry to have called that one, Neeebs.

Paul said...

Man oh man. This game.

Paul said...

Best fans in baseball.

Orel said...

This strike zone. More like a strike general area.

Dusty Baker said...

Cards fans are so tired they didn't even boo that terrible ball two call.

Orel said...

Dunk single. Beginning of the end.

Orel said...

WHY DIDN'T WOODY CALL THE POLICE

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