(cries)

Terrible Way to Ring in the New Year

Potentially sad tale of Vinny's 1988 World Series ring turns out okay. And Vinny has better hips than Matt Kemp. According to the LA Times' Bill Plaschke:

Vin Scully can find his way into our hearts even during the gloomiest winter afternoons, as he proved again Thursday when he unwittingly starred in his own holiday movie.

The Ribs That Saved Christmas.

"I feel like such a dummy," Scully said with a laugh. "Only Scully could lose a ring while putting meat in a bag."

So Vinny was shopping at Costco (I would give anything to sample some microwavable mozzarella sticks with him on aisle 27 there) with his wife, and after snagging a nice standing rib roast (I got mine at Whole Paycheck, so sounds like he may have found a better deal) his ring slipped off his finger.

On Tuesday, they were walking past the meat department when Sandi pointed at some ribs. With five grown children and 16 children to feed during the holidays, we're talking Fred Flintstone-sized ribs. Vin grabbed the packaged meat, stuffed it into plastic bags, and piled it on top of the overflowing cart. Eventually the couple navigated the extravaganza past the cashier, past the hot dog and pizza stand, and out to their SUV in the parking lot.

Once they had loaded the trunk, Scully climbed into the front seat, glanced down at his Costco-weary hands, and noticed something missing.

His 1988 World Series ring had disappeared from his finger.

All's well that ends well, thankfully.

Sure enough, while Vin was unloading the stacks of items, he heard a cry from inside the house. While emptying the ribs, Sandi found the ring at the bottom of the bag.

It would have been a blue Christmas without Vin's ring, indeed.

Happy Holidays from the Dodgers

Dodgers Shave Beard, Take $10M Chance

• Brian Wilson designated for assignment by Dodgers (Eric Stephen, True Blue LA)
  
• Source: Dodgers land lefty Anderson with $10 million deal (Ken Gurnick, Dodgers.com)
  

It's official: 2015 is Andrew Friedman's "Undo Colletti's Terrible Deals" Year. And Friedman/Zaidi may not be done: Rumor has it that Brandon League is on the trading block. Talk about cleaning house!

Matt Kemp Says Goodbye

Not gonna lie, this one hurts. From Matt Kemp's Instagram:

It is with a lot of emotion that I say goodbye to the city and the fans who have been there since the beginning of my career. You have given me so much. Your faith and support for the last 9 years through good times and bad, homestands and home runs was showcased through the volume of your cheers and the love for your team. I'm thankful to the Dodgers organization for taking a chance on an Oklahoma kid. I believe we control our paths. The paths we take, control our destiny. I'm excited for the future. God Bless

HOT STOVE IS HOT II

CORRECTION: Andrew Heaney to Angels for Howie Kendrick, not Austin Barnes.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) December 11, 2014

Source: McCarthy four years, $48M with #Dodgers.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 11, 2014

HOT STOVE IS HOT

Trade is done: Dee Gordon to #Marlins. Other names not confirmed.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 10, 2014

I'm told #Rollins to #Dodgers is done. Don't know who goes to Philadelphia.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) December 10, 2014

Well then! After losing out on Jon Lester, the new Dodgers front office is certainly showing it's not going to leave the Winter Meetings without making a splash. No idea who's going to PHI for Jimmy Rollins (who is most certainly here to bridge the gap to Corey Seager), or what the return for Dee is. Also, Dan Haren may be going with Dee? This is nuts.

More as we know it.

2015 Blogger Softball: It's On!

From theLFP.com:

The date for the 2015 Blogger Charity softball tournament is set. It will be held at Big League Dreams in West Covina on April 11, 2015 and starting time should be about 8AM. A few more teams have been added and are listed in the graphic above. A few more will be added later today. I’m still looking for teams to play in the open class who are not blog affiliated. So if you would like to bring your team. Contact me and I can add you to that list.

Here is what each team will receive.
Includes:
3 game guarantee
Softballs
Umpires
Tournament Director
Single Elimination playoffs for qualifying teams
3 large pizzas and 4 pitchers (per team)
1st Place Trophy
2nd Place plaque
Entrance fees included (for rostered players)
Any questions contact me here. thelfp.com@gmail.com

OMGOMGOMGNew Star Wars Trailer

Includes soccer-ball R2!

Friedman and Zaidi Pick Up Where Colletti Left Off; Sign DFAd Pitcher Nicasio, In Hopes He Might Someday Start Again

Yay, another big bold move from the Dodgers' new brass: Juan Nicasio. Pardon me while I temper my excitement.

LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers acquired pitcher Juan Nicasio from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named or cash, the team announced Monday, continuing a trend of stockpiling young, inexpensive pitchers who could compete this spring to be the team's fifth starter or an extra bullpen arm.

Nicasio, 28, went 6-6 with a 5.38 ERA for the Rockies last season pitching in both relief and as a starter, but in his first three seasons in the big leagues he was exclusively a starter. Nicasio is 21-22 with a 5.03 ERA in 88 major league games.

Many people wondered what the Dodgers' new front office would do in its first offseason, and it certainly appears new team president Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi won't spend money the way outgoing GM Ned Colletti did in his last few seasons on the job.

Nicasio, who made $2.025 million last season, is eligible for arbitration. The Rockies had designated him for assignment.

Last week, the Dodgers acquired Mike Bolsinger from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash. It appears Friedman and Zaidi are hoping that moving Nicasio and Bolsinger from Coors and Chase fields, two of the extreme hitters' parks in baseball, to spacious Dodger Stadium will change their fortunes.

HanRam to Boston...Where 3B Is Now Occupied By Fat Guy

Dodgers shortstop (and I use that loosely) Hanley Ramirez is off to the Red Sox, for four years / $88M:

The Boston Red Sox agreed with Hanley Ramirez on Monday on a four-year, $88 million deal with a vesting fifth year for an additional $22 million, according to a major league source.

Ramirez, who will turn 31 on Dec. 23, has primarily played shortstop throughout his 10-year career but has also told teams he would be willing to change positions.

Ramirez was originally projected as a fall-back plan for the Red Sox in the event they were unable to sign the switch-hitting Pablo Sandoval. Sandoval reached agreement with the Red Sox on Monday, sources told ESPN, after choosing among offers from Boston, the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. All three offers were believed to be for five years and at least $90 million.

Ramirez rejected the Los Angeles Dodgers' $15.3 million qualifying offer earlier this month to become a free agent. Ramirez won the 2009 batting title and led the NL with a 1.040 OPS in 2013 (among hitters with at least 300 plate appearances).

According to Keith Law, the Dodgers get a draft pick but not the Sox' first-round draft pick (insider only):

The Dodgers get a compensation pick for losing Ramirez; Boston's first-round pick, at No. 7 overall, is protected, so they lose their second-rounder for the signing. Los Angeles is still short a shortstop at this point (although keeping Ramirez wouldn't have necessarily solved that problem). There also isn't much out there for them in free agency or the trade market. Their internal options are glove-only guys in Erisbel Arruebarrena or Miguel Rojas, so they could try a one-year deal with Stephen Drew to see if he has anything left after his self-immolating 2014, with the glovemen as backup options. But that's probably more downside risk than they'd like to take on.

Oh, and the Red Sox also picked up Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval: allegedly for five years / $90M, and possibly not far off from the offer from the team in Birdshit Park; Sandoval must have been tired of the poop. Understandable.

Oscar Hopeful Taps into Crosstown Rivalry

An ad for the movie "Birdman" in the sports section of today's LA Times.

Dodgers Thank Kershaw in Dying Medium

From today's LA Times sports section (click to enlarge).

BREAKING: Water Wet, Sky Blue, Kershaw Amazing

Clayton Edward Kershaw is YOUR 2014 NL Most Valuable Player AND NL Cy Young Award winner. Not too shabby. Kid K becomes the first NL pitcher to accomplish the feat since Bob Gibson in 1968 (a mere twenty years before Clayton was born).

Congratulations, Clayton. We know this year did not end the way you wanted, but we bet you still have room on that lovely mantel behind you for a World Series MVP trophy, which should be coming along any old time now.

Graphic Artists Working Overtime on Kershaw MVP Art

MVP! MVP! @ClaytonKersh22 is the 11th Dodger to win the NL #MVP award and first NL pitcher since 1968. Congrats! pic.twitter.com/6thi871qhj

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 13, 2014

Your 2014 National League #MVP: @ClaytonKersh22. pic.twitter.com/UrMRcbO6Rr

— MLB (@MLB) November 13, 2014

MVP of the National League is @Dodgers pitcher @ClaytonKersh22! #NotABad24Hours http://t.co/aD8ps5YO48

— ESPNLosAngeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) November 13, 2014

Best on the mound; best in the game. Congratulations @ClaytonKersh22 on winning NL MVP! pic.twitter.com/iNteWALbm8

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) November 13, 2014

#KershGawd = MVP http://t.co/RONHc2HVHs pic.twitter.com/ZK1a4js873

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) November 13, 2014

Legendary Dodgers at Historic Dodgertown

Vero Beach community leader Bud Holman, Tommy Lasorda and Peter O’Malley at Florida Heritage Landmark ceremony Monday at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

Steve Garvey and Sandy Koufax observe Maury Wills offering instruction at Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp Monday at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

photos/captions: Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Fla.

Thank You to Our Veterans

• If you're in a giving mood, consider donating to Fisher House, an organization that provides "military families housing close to a loved one during hospitalization for an illness, disease or injury."
  
• How cool is this? From a Dodgers press release:
  

  The Dodgers will host approximately 300 pre-selected active duty service members of our nation’s Armed Forces representing the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard along with veterans and their families for batting practice at Dodger Stadium [today], Veterans Day from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
  

  “It’s an honor for the Dodgers to open our doors yearly to active duty members and veterans representing the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces and host them for a day of baseball activities on the field,” said Dodger President and CEO Stan Kasten. “The Dodgers are dedicated to paying tribute to those who selflessly serve our country year-round and we are grateful to each and every one of them for their service.”
  

  Dodger Alumni Wes Parker, Al Downing and Billy Ashley and Dodger Special Advisor Don Newcombe will be present to welcome the group of active duty military members and veterans. Dodger in-game host Dave Styles will serve as emcee. The Dodgers’ Veterans Day batting practice event is also supported by AMR, Anheuser Busch, Avita, Coca-Cola, and Levy Restaurants. Emily Benford, known as Emily B, a singer songwriter and vocal director who recently competed on Season 6 of “The Voice” will perform the national anthem. [...]
  

  The Dodgers honor military personnel and veterans year-round with initiatives including the Veteran of the Game presented by Bank of American on-field recognition that takes place during each Dodger home game. The Dodgers will launch an online form to nominate active duty, reserve or retired service members to be recognized as Veteran of the Game. Details can be found by visiting www.dodgers.com/VOTG.
  

  The Dodgers also pay tribute to service members on military holidays by including them in pre-game ceremonies. In addition, the Dodgers schedule visits to the VA Home in Westwood and on a case-by-case basis, send care packages to troops deployed overseas and retirement acknowledgement letters. The Dodgers also offer discounted tickets to military personnel with proper ID for regular season games. For details on military programs please visit www.dodgers.com/military.

From Colletti to Zaidi: Front Office Gets Brainier

Dodgers will name Oakland's Farhan Zaidi the new general manager later this week, according to baseball source.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) November 5, 2014

Source: #Dodgers will name Farhan Zaidi their new GM this week. Josh Byrnes will be a senior executive.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 5, 2014

New #Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi went to MIT, has doctorate from UC Berkeley. Read this by @susanslusser. http://t.co/UjpabkQ8Ru

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 5, 2014

Farhan Zaidi is incredibly smart, someone who listens and works well in collaborative environments, and is Canadian. Dodgers did well.

— Jonah Keri (@jonahkeri) November 5, 2014

With Andrew Friedman, Farhan Zaidi and Josh Byrnes, the Dodgers have a front office with brains and audacity. A force to be reckoned with.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 5, 2014

5 Thoughts on the Giants' Dynasty

1. That's right, I said dynasty. 10 of the last 15 World Series have been won by the 21st-century baseball powerhouses: the Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals and Giants. Three World Series titles in five years isn't quite Yankees territory, but it's getting there, and the Giants may not even be done yet. What's worse, the Giants are pulling away from the Dodgers in terms of franchise championships: The Giants have eight and the Dodgers have been stuck at six for, oh, 26 years and counting....

2. The Giants are no longer a small- or mid-market team. Their $149-million payroll is the major league's sixth-highest, and it only figures to go up — as it should. It's good to see their management reinvest all that postseason money into their team. It's bad to see that they have fewer Jason Schmidt- or Andruw Jones-sized blunders in their free agent history, but that's an entirely different frustration.

3. Every team has bad fans. Remember Jonathan Denver, the Dodger fan (and the son of a Dodger security guard) killed by a Giants fan near AT&T Park in 2013? It turns out that Denver and his brother teamed up against the Giants fan, whom the SF District Attorney could not prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" did not act in self-defense. So if you detected some subtle anti-L.A. sentiment in the Giants' quotes about Bryan Stow participating in their pre-game World Series ceremonies, just remember that every team has bad fans — even the Giants.

4. 2014 was as unenjoyable as winning years get. The Dodgers' 42-8 streak in 2013 may have been an anomaly, but the 2014 Dodgers didn't even come close to making any kind of winning statement. Unlike, say, hockey, baseball rewards the team that gets hot at the right time, and the 2014 Dodgers never truly got hot, posting a winning streak of more than three games against above-.500 teams only once (in July, against Atlanta). Add to that the bullshit Time-Warner Cable situation (still unresolved, by the way!), and 2014 would be a year to forget — if you saw it in the first place.

5. Some fuck you's are in order. Fuck you, Chase Carey, for trading Mike Piazza. Fuck you, Frank McCourt, for costing us Vlad Guerrero. And speaking of Vlads: Fuck you, Vladimir Shpunt, for not doing your job.

OK, I feel a little better now.

Congratulations to the Royals, World Series Champions

The Royals celebrating after their Game 7 walkoff victory.

The MVP. What an inspiration.

World Series Game 7 Thread: Enemies in Orange vs. Brothers in Blue, 7p

@TheRealJGuts vs. Thud.

If the Dodger fan in you hates that the FH's are in the World Series again, then the baseball fan in you can at least appreciate tonight's Game 7, in which the home team has a decided advantage AND BETTER WIN IT DAMMIT GO BLUE

World Series Game 6 Thread: WhenWillThisEnd, 5p

Yordano Ventura (0-0, 3.38) vs. Jake Peavy (0-1, 7.20).

Let's just get this over with.

Logan's Run...ning to Padres

Looks like Andrew Friedman now has quite a "renewal! renewal!" on his hands, now that Logan White has left the Dodgers for the Padres:

LOS ANGELES -- The San Diego Padres have hired longtime Dodgers amateur scouting director Logan White to their front office, sources told ESPN on Monday.

The feeling around baseball when the Dodgers hired Andrew Friedman to be their president of baseball operations was that he would want to bring in his own people in key front-office positions. With White departing, he'll have at least three top positions to fill.

It is not clear which position White will fill with San Diego.

In Los Angeles, Friedman has vacancies at general manager, amateur scouting director and farm director. The Dodgers' previous general manager, Ned Colletti, was reassigned to an advisory role, and farm director DeJon Watson left before Friedman's hiring to work for Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart.

White was involved in drafting Clayton Kershaw and Matt Kemp, among others, and with the signing of Cuban defector Yasiel Puig two summers ago in Mexico, where he also found one of the Dodgers' top minor league prospects, pitcher Julio Urias. White leaves the Dodgers with three of baseball's top 20 prospects on his résumé -- Urias, outfielder Joc Pederson and infielder Corey Seager.

World Series Game 5 Thread: Sluggerrr @ Lou Seal, 5p

Happy birthday, @DPCoulombe! pic.twitter.com/njV0TMxrKk

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 26, 2014

The Dodgers' Twitter feed in late October (cries).

James Shields vs. Madison Bumgarner.

C'mon, Royals. Give us a shred of hope here. Don't give us another off-season of San Francisco hubris.

thanks to SoSG Dusty for the GT idea

World Series Game 4 Thread: KC @ SF, 5p

Jason Vargas vs. Ryan Vogelsong.

The Royals have the 2-1 series advantage. The Giants have never trailed in a World Series since 2002...and we all know what happened then. Let's hope history repeats itself. Go Blue!

photo from @robotbraden via @EephusBlue

World Series Game 3 Thread: Royal Giants, 5p

Daily News: "Mets foreshadow World Series with Royal Giants uniforms."
Jeremy Guthrie vs. Tim Hudson

For the third time in five years, seagulls will shit all over the World Series. Hooray!

Image: Getty Images

Joe Maddon Quits Rays, But It, Like, Totally Doesn't Mean Anything

So...

Sources: Manager Joe Maddon has exercised an opt-out clause in his contract and is leaving the Tampa Bay Rays immediately.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) October 24, 2014

But then...

early word: maddon not considering LA an option at all. he understands friedman is committed to mattingly.

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) October 24, 2014

And...

Andrew Friedman: Don Mattingly will manage the #Dodgers next season. Joe Maddon's availability won't change that.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) October 24, 2014

Nothing to see here! Move along! Everyone is assuredly telling the absolute truth, as is always the case in American sports.

UPDATE (12:24pm): Andrew Friedman released a statement through the Dodgers:

As I said last week, Joe and I enjoyed a tremendous relationship working together in Tampa Bay and I wish him nothing but the best, wherever his next stop will be. However, nothing has changed on our end. Don Mattingly will be our manager next season, and hopefully for a long time to come.

Definitive rumor-squashing, bold-faced lie, or gambling that Donnie will up and quit? You be the judge.

World Series Game 2 Thread: Pumpkins vs. Crowns, 5p

Yordano Ventura (who cares) vs. Jake Peavy (who cares).

Enjoy, you masochists!

World Series Game 1 Thread: NL West 2nd Place Finishers @ AL Central 2nd Place Finishers, 5p

James Shields (0-0, -.--) vs. Ashley Madison (0-0, -.--)

Whatever.

Really, how are Dodger fans supposed to be motivated to watch the third Giants World Series appearance in five years? What, are we supposed to cheer for the team in blue with the inept manager because it feels familiar? I guess. Not really that strong a motivator, given how we know in our heart of hearts that the baseball gods hate us, hate joy of any kind, and will OF COURSE allow the Giants to squash the feel-good story of the Royals.

At least if we don't watch, the streak of abysmal ratings for the Giants in the World Series will continue. There is a slight possibility there will be an uptick in ratings due to people tuning in to see if the Royals can go 12-0, but that would be immediately snuffed out by a Game 1 loss.

So yeah, we're still bitter. Maybe we'll hate-watch. Maybe we'll tune in to see if the "Ned Yost, Super Genius" story continues. Or maybe we'll just watch every Simpsons episode ever. I think I'll watch this one first:

Forgotten Los Angeles Stadiums

To get your mind off of this awful World Series matchup, CurbedLA had a nice piece on old, forgotten Los Angeles stadiums.  I didn't know that we had the first Wrigley Field! Hat tip to Mrs. Cora for finding this.

(cries)

The Walking Ned

Well, holy crap.

The Dodgers will name former Tampa Bay Rays general manager Andrew Friedman as their new president of baseball operations (which I believe is a newly-created position just for him), sources told ESPN

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 14, 2014

Ramona's got the full scoop HERE.

To recap: Andrew Friedman is the new President of Baseball Operations. He can hire a new GM. Ned falls up, to become Stan's...something. Donnie likely staying.

More later, after our heads are done exploding.

Ryu Noodles Around

Hyun-Jin Ryu's now-legendary Ottogi Noodle commercial, featuring "lookalikes" of some of his Dodger teammates, has been making the rounds EVERYWHERE in the Dodger community. It's only fitting we preserve it here at SoSG as well.


The video is hilariously bizarre and deserving of all the attention. In addition to the video, friend-of-SoSG Sarah Wexler uncovered a link to some amazing behind-the-scenes photos of the commercial shoot. These photos reveal that both a Puig lookalike and a Uribe lookalike were hired for the shoot, but not used in the final commercial.
Hopefully, we'll see these two in an extended version soon. Though, there was word on Twitter that Uribe would be flying to Korea to appear in another commercial with his best buddy Ryu. That better not have been a joke.

I feel like this commercial and semi-baseless rumors about front office firings are the two things keeping Dodger fans afloat right now.

Fan Ad-preciation Day

From today's LA Times' sports section:

(click to enlarge)

Post NLDS Game 4 Thread: There Is No God

CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 2

There is no god. Because even the most psychotically perverse deity would not have allowed what befell Clayton Kershaw in the seventh inning in Game 4. Stoked by a lead again (2-0), and cruising to a one-hitter over the Cardinals, Kershaw inexplicably gave up a three-run HR to unlikely rotund hero Matt Adams. This time, unlike in Game 1, Kershaw wasn't just trying to overpower the Cardinals with fastballs. But this time, it was a hanging curveball which unraveled the Dodgers, and ultimately eliminated us from the 2014 postseason.

Brutal.

How inexplicable was this? So crazy, that ESPN's statistics department couldn't even add correctly:

Clearly, in giving 108%, Kershaw was short 2%.

Kershaw, obviously crestfallen and befuddled, admirably faced stupid questions from an insipid St. Louis press corps, and soldiered through post-game interviews with class and dignity that I suppose could only be expected from The Best Pitcher In Baseball:

"The season ended and I'm a big part of the reason why," Kershaw said. "It doesn't matter how I pitched. It's bad deja vu all over again. I felt we had a really good chance to win. I'm thankful we got here and hope to be back."

Looking at the photos of Kershaw walking off the mound in the seventh inning, my heart aches. He doesn't deserve this. And we Dodger fans don't deserve this either, what with the NL West-winning Dodgers going home, while the second-place retread Giants advancing to the NLCS, in a series where I don't want either team to win (in fact, I hope it goes seven games of 99 innings each, all of which with microscopic television ratings).

Manager Don Mattingly? Yeah, he deserves the vitriol, again doing a fine job managing the team through six innings, but finding himself at a loss beyond that. Mattingly also spent the morning getting crucified on Twitter for benching Yasiel Puig in favor of Andre Ethier (who went 0-for-2 with two walks, but was picked off third base to end the sixth inning in Puigian fashion, failing to dive back to the bag after considering coming home on a shallow passed ball). Ethier's performance was not worth the substitution. And Mattingly did end up putting Puig in later in Game 4, as a pinch runner of all things, which also makes no sense.

Dan Haren never entered the NLDS, even in relief. Not sure why we were saving him.

Ned Colletti sure as heck should be under consideration for blame, being allowed to play with the highest payroll in baseball, but neglecting to fortify a bullpen beyond a closer.

And there are fingers to be pointed at some of the members of the team. Hanley Ramirez, if he had any defensive skills, could have leapt for that second single that preceded the Adams HR. It would have been a double play had he caught it. Dee Gordon and Juan Uribe, both of whom were impressive this regular season, neglected to show up at the plate for most of this series.

But Kershaw, at the center of the storm? I've lost faith in everything at this point. But not him.

We'll get 'em next year, Clayton. We just have to clean some house around you first.

Now please excuse me, as I go get my Orioles and Royals gear on.

NLDS Game 4 Thread: Oct. 7 @ Cards, 2p

Bracing for oblivion.
Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 10.80) vs. Shelby Miller (0-0, -.--)

*sigh* So, it comes down to this. The entire Dodgers season rests in the hands of Clayton Kershaw, the undisputed "Best Pitcher in Baseball Who Also Gets Knocked Around Inexplicably by the Cardinals in October"™. We stand one Cardinals win and one Giants win away from the most insufferable NLCS since the last one the Dodgers weren't in (which, coincidentally, featured the same two teams...barf). Times are grim.

But...somehow...there is hope.

Dad has hope...

The @Dodgers will win 5-2, as the the best pitcher in @MLB resurrects a limping bullpen and one last shot in the #NLDS ....At home!!

— Steve Garvey (@SteveGarvey6) October 7, 2014

Trusted SoSG associate Todd has hope...

@sosgsosg Stress Level: Already have plans on Thursday. pic.twitter.com/FU8FpJr9Lr

— Todd Munson (@themunson) October 7, 2014

Do the rest of us dare have hope? For me, the true crushing blow came in Game 1. I've been more or less numb since then. At his point, why not have hope? At the very least, let's have this damn thing decided in OUR house. Everything has come too easy for the Cards. Everything has gone their way. Make them work for it. And for Vin's sake, DON'T THROW STRIKES TO CARPENTER!

Oh, and somebody lock the bullpen gate.

GO KERSH!!! GO BLUE!!! GO...GET A DRINK*!!!

UPDATE: WELP.

Ethier starts in CF, Puig out. Crawford bats second.

— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) October 7, 2014

Stress level update: pic.twitter.com/ViLyLdzilo

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) October 7, 2014

*If you're somewhere you can drink at 2pm on a Tuesday.

Post-NLDS Game 3 Thread: Whatever Pitching Decision Don Mattingly Makes, It Is Inevitably Wrong

CARDINALS 3, DODGERS 1

At this stage, it's getting ridiculous. Mattingly leaves Clayton Kershaw in for Game 1, when the Cardinals are teeing off his fastball and Kershaw doesn't seem to want to throw anything else, even shaking Mattingly off the mound in the process. Wrong answer. And then in Game 1, he signals for Pedro Baez, who had entered a game with baserunners in only three of his 20 2014 appearances. Also, wrong answer. Then, for Game 2, Mattingly pulls Zack Greinke after seven shutout innings in Game 2, going to J.P. Howell. Wrong answer.

And tonight, Mattingly has Hyun-Jin Ryu plugging along through six solid innings and a 1-1 game, going this time to Scott Elbert, who had struck out both batters he faced in Game 1. Sure thing, right? Nope, wrong answer again; Elbert gives up a leadoff double to Yadier Molina, and then a home run to biblical scholar Kolten Wong, to put the Cards up 3-1 and put the Dodgers down 2-1 in the series. Arguably, Elbert was the wisest choice yet, given Ryu was at 94 pitches coming back from shoulder issues; Scott Van Slyke pinch-hit in the top of the seventh for Ryu, with none on and two out, and grounded to short. But in Mattingly's hands, in this NLDS, the Elbert decision could only go incredibly awry. Which it did.

Sure, we had a chance in the ninth inning with consecutive singles and one out off of Trevor Rosenthal. Cardinals manager Mike Metheny calmly came out when Rosenthal was down 2-0 in the count to Juan Uribe, delayed the game while calling for the grounds crew to apply a drying agent ("drying agent"? sort of like Lana Kane in Archer?) to the mound, and allowed his closer to catch his breath. Rosenthal then got Uribe and A.J. Ellis to fly out to right field, and end the game.

Mattingly has made regrettable pitching decisions in each of the three NLDS games. Metheny, on the other hand, has seemed to slow the game down when his team looks unwieldy. This contrast cannot be underlined more, as it's swinging the series.

You look up and down the two lineups, and with the exception of Matt Carpenter's torrid run and Juan Uribe's lack of jazz hands this series, we should be ahead in this series, not down 2-1. I'd like to think that, with Kershaw starting Game 4 and Greinke starting a possible Game 5, we have a shot at winning this series in five games.

That is, if baseball games were six innings long. At a full nine innings? We're bound to choose the wrong answer, again. That was easy.

NLDS Game 3 Thread: Oct. 6 @ Cardinals, 6p

So much this.

Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-7, 3.38) vs. John Lackey (14-10, 3.82).

The series shifts to Busch Stadium, home of those Best Fans in Baseball. The Dodgers turn to Ryu, coming off of three weeks of rest for an irritated shoulder. Mattingly has said that Dan Haren is waiting in the wings should Ryu falter early, which would almost certainly trigger Kershaw on three days' rest for Game 4. So in other words: I just want to tell you good luck, Hyun-Jin. We're all counting on you.

Offensively, well, just look at the picture above. The Dodgers have piled on 24 hits in two games so far, A.J. is 5 for 8, and only Uribe has yet to contribute at the plate. And as we noted earlier, this Dodger team is a bunch of road warriors, for whatever reason. I know regular-season success hasn't been much of a postseason predictor (hello, Angels), so it's time for the Dodgers to change the narrative. I don't know exactly what that means, but it feels like it needed to be said. GO BLUE!

Sharp Dressed Men

Matt Kemp Is A Player.

I love the outfit that NLDS Game 2 hero Matt Kemp wore to the post-game press conference.

It's chill, man. Kemp has got this NLDS thing under control.