Monday, October 10, 2016

NLDS Game 3 Thread: Oct. 10 vs. Nationals, 1p

Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48) vs. Gio Gonzalez (11-11, 4.57).

So with yesterday's unfortunate rainout makeup, the Dodgers come home with a 1-1 split against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS. A 1-1 split isn't all that depressing--that's what one hopes for on the road--but what was depressing was all the missed opportunities, including going 0-for-5 with the bases loaded, three separate times. Backup catcher Jose Lobaton wouldn't normally have had a game-changing three-run HR as early as the fourth inning, but with the way the Dodgers failed to convert in game 2 (1-for-8 wth RISP, 12 LOB), there's much room for concern.

Oh, and there's that left-handed opposing pitcher thing. According to Mike Bauman of MLB.com, the Dodgers bat .214 with a .623 OPS against lefties, versus .264 with a .772 OPS against righties.

I'm a little less concerned about the opposing starter today, than I am seeing the chess game of moves between Dave Roberts and Dusty Baker, the latter of whom seemed to make more of the right decisions in yesterday's game. Roberts, the likely NL Manager of the Year, has made great calls on the use of his staff, particularly in the second half of the season with regards to the bullpen (and utility players). Let's hope that the toothpick-eater doesn't chew up our guy again today, in this critical third game.

Put on your rally thongs, and start clenching.

135 comments:

Dusty Baker said...

Hey! Quit picking on me.

Dusty Baker said...

Headed for some grub and then to the Yard.

Hideo Nomo said...

Kendrick LF
Turner 3B
Seager SS
Puig RF
Gonzalez 1B
Grandal C
Culberson 2B
Pederson CF
Maeda P

Steve Sax said...

SoSG AC should be in the house today.

Steve Sax said...

Roberts going with the wacky "best shot at hitting lefties" lineup. Very weird.

Puig cleanup?
No Utley?

what is going on here

Steve Sax said...

Roberts is counting on Puig to have a big game today, acc. to TBLA. Puig's stats against LHP seem to be heating up, though he hasn't looked good so far this series.

QuadSevens said...

Puig hasn't had much to swing at so far. 3 walks and nothing else. Hopefully today he can barrel up some pitches.

Steve Sax said...

That's a fair call quad. I saw that AB yesterday in the fifth when he walked to load the bases, and then Yaz choked again. But Puig doesn't have a hit in the two games. Grandal, for all his foibles in the 0-for-3 day yesterday, is .286. Small sample sizes!

Steve Sax said...

Orel throws out the first pitch to Sax!

That's got to be a good omen, given this blog

Steve Sax said...

Steiner: winner of Game 3 wins 36/48 (75% of the time)

Steve Sax said...

Three-pitch K for Trea Turner to start the game.

QuadSevens said...

Anyone know if the game is streaming online somewhere?

Steve Sax said...

Werth with a single, but Murphy pops to second. Two out.

Steve Sax said...

@Quad: I'm listening to radio. however mlb at bat is streaming if you have a pay tv provider

QuadSevens said...

I've never used MLB at bat, so I'm guessing I don't have access. But I'll give it a go. Thanks.

spank said...

http://www.goatd.net/167497/watch-washington-nationals-vs-los-angeles-dodgers

Cliff Beefpile said...

Walks mounting, hype fading.

spank said...

Maeda pitching like mierda

QuadSevens said...

Spanky! You're the best!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Somebody get Neeebs up in the 'pen. Looks like we might need him today.

karen said...

I may need to visit the neighborhood crack dealer before this is over.

Steve Sax said...

Maeda gives up two walks and loads the bases, but strikes out ZImmerman to get out of the jam.

Wow, we had better score early and often.

Steve Sax said...

Walk to JT. He is great.

One out

karen said...

NIGHT MOVES BABY!

Steve Sax said...

Seager...off the wall! Turner SCORES!!! 1-0 LA

Seager is DEADLY on his first ABs

Steve Sax said...

someone tell me, how much did that miss being a HR?

Steve Sax said...

I've got Charley going and his HR / non-HR calls are killing me

QuadSevens said...

Looked like it hit the bottom half of the wall. I thought he did it again!

Steve Sax said...

dammit Puig. Called K.

QuadSevens said...

The K-Zone showed that pitch was inside. Lame.

Cliff Beefpile said...

@Karen, the rally thong provides all the crack you'll need!

Cliff Beefpile said...

It's the middle of the day, AGon, even you can hit a homerun now.

Steve Sax said...

dammit A-Gon. grounds to first.

Once again, Seager opens up the fireworks, but we can't do more than one run. Not good.

1-0 LA

karen said...

LOL Cliffy!!!

Cliff Beefpile said...

That's more like it! An economical 1-2-3 inning for Maeda.

Steve Sax said...

Nice 2-K inning for Kenta Maeda. 37 pitches through .

LA 1-0, mid 2

Steve Sax said...

@Cliff: DAMMIT

i'm too slow

QuadSevens said...

Radio lag Sax.

Steve Sax said...

Whatever the hell just happened on the Culberson AB, Charley called it like 10 seconds AFTER the play finished. It's almost like you have to listen to the crowd for the guidepost, as Steiner is so slow on the call

Steve Sax said...

Radio lag + Steiner Lag = I'm listening to Game 2, third inning right now

QuadSevens said...

Joc got screwed on that call. Pitch hit his hand, they say it hit his bat, and he's out.

karen said...

Yep, it's the 3rd inning. Time for Maeda to come unraveled.

Steve Sax said...

DAMMIT

Steve Sax said...

We need AGon, Puig and all those guys who shouldn't be in the game to start hitting.

Steve Sax said...

Harper scores Werth, it's 2-1 WAS

Steve Sax said...

Jeez we are FUCKING FALLING APART here.

Grandal, what the fuck

Steve Sax said...

Grandal had better shape up here

Cliff Beefpile said...

Why again is Utley not at second?

Steve Sax said...

4-1 and we are on the ropes.

spank said...

Kenta Mierda

Cliff Beefpile said...

Aaaand just like that, we're done with game 3. There's a mediocre lefty going against us, so that means we'll manage two more hits in the game.

Steve Sax said...

We're resting Utley for the NLCS

Orel said...

I just want to tell you both good luck. We're all counting on you.

Steve Sax said...

Seager Ks with Kendrick on third. 4-1 Wash through 3.

Come on guys, this game isn't over. Step the fuck up

Cliff Beefpile said...

If we're gonna win the whole thing, we're gonna have to win a few games the hard way. May as well start now, Dodgers.

Steve Sax said...

Puig. Nothing, again.

Steve Sax said...

Really glad we flew Maeda out to LA early for that showing.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Warning track power!

Steve Sax said...

now we're just trying to swing for the fences. and failing.

karen said...

3 and out. Fuck

Hideo Nomo said...

Seager, Turner, and the bullpen showed up for this series. Everyone else went missing.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Gio Gonzalez is at 70 pitches, so I'm sure Dusty feels he's got another 80 in him before he needs to think about taking him out.

Steve Sax said...

Baez gives up two walks in the fifth. So here's Espinoza, two out

Steve Sax said...

4-1, mid 5.

Nats with a 85% chance of winning as per Fangraphs

Cliff Beefpile said...

@Sax, it's an interesting strategy, giving our opponents a false sense of security by lulling them to sleep with inept bats. We'll see if it pays off.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, Culberson can't even reach when the ball goes off Murphy's glove.

Steve Sax said...

Pederson with a one-out single!

And this time, Roberts can't yank him for Puig!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Now would be a helluva time for your first Dodger highlight, Chooch.

Steve Sax said...

no fucking way. RUIZ?!?! Incredible.

karen said...

CHOOCH!!!!

Cliff Beefpile said...

And THAT is why we traded Ellis.

Steve Sax said...

4-3 Washington, and the stadium is alive again.

Steve Sax said...

@cliff: we traded Mark Ellis?

Steve Sax said...

Fangraphs: 16% --> 36%

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Cheech!!!

karen said...

You called it Cliffy!!!! GO RALLY THONG!!!

Steve Sax said...

murphy is tormenting us, even on defense

Cliff Beefpile said...

Goddammit. Even Dan Murphy's shitty defense is going their way.

Cliff Beefpile said...

@Sax, this time you beat me.

Steve Sax said...

two-out walk for Red.

Here's our favorite ROY

Cliff Beefpile said...

Let's go, Corey.

Steve Sax said...

@cliff, I'm still listening to Charley call yesterday's game. Don't tell me something bad happens in Game 3.

Cliff Beefpile said...

They keep trying to go inside on Seager. Make them pay for it, kid! The 1-0 count brings Frank Zappa out of the Nats' dugout.

Cliff Beefpile said...

GAH! Corey just got under it.

Steve Sax said...

4-3 through 5. Let's go, blue!

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, leadoff single for the red high-heeled guy

spank said...

great googly moogly

Cliff Beefpile said...

Josh Fields needs to button that top button on his jersey. He's going for the 70s Kris Kristofferson look.

Cliff Beefpile said...

The good thing about Baez pitching is that it gave Charley Steiner a chance to catch up to today's action.

Steve Sax said...

Wow, Avilan that is a HUGE K on Murphy with two RISP

Steve Sax said...

4-3 mid 6. Puig is going to hit a leadoff HR here and tie it up.

spank said...

i hope Mary Hart is wearing her rally thong

Cliff Beefpile said...

Man, Costas really sucks at play-by-play.

Steve Sax said...

Puig flies to left, but at least he went deeper in the count.

AGon with a base hit to right.

I can hear Animal on Diamondvision.

Steve Sax said...

@spank: it's always rally time with Mary Hart

Cliff Beefpile said...

I think Daniel Murphy is wearing Mary Hart's rally thong.

Steve Sax said...

(and not in a presidential-candidate-talking-on-a-bus way

karen said...

@ Spanky I'm thinking it wouldn't be in our favor if Larry King had his on...

Steve Sax said...

Grandal called K. He is really starting to piss me off.

Steve Sax said...

dammit. 4-3 through 6.

I don't think we've scored a run off the Nationals' bullpen, right?

spank said...

@Karen

is that Larry King behind home plate? i thought it was Stephen Hawking.

Cliff Beefpile said...

I think I could do without that fielders' position graphic in the upper right.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Rendon = Pagan Lt.

spank said...

Blanton in. was that Muttley coming in on a double switch?

Cliff Beefpile said...

Blanton and Utley come in on a double switch. Let's go, Phils...er, Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

aha, we're doing that neat rest-Utley-for-the-first-six-innings trick.

Dusty Baker never saw this coming!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Clint Robinson looks like drunk Randy Quaid in Independence Day.

Steve Sax said...

OK. To the stretch, 4-3 Washington.

Cliff Beefpile said...

9 more outs. Let's get something going this inning dammit!

spank said...

tighten up the thongs y'all.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Did Charley just say Oliver Perez in relief? I thought that guy was DFA'd off the face of the earth!

Steve Sax said...

Utley with a one-out basehit

Cliff Beefpile said...

Utley's aboard.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Hey, Howie, don't swing at those balls that're two feet out of the strike zone and low.

Cliff Beefpile said...

Shadows, everyone. Shadows. Have we mentioned shadows yet?

Steve Sax said...

dammit, called strike 3 on JT.

Not looking good, 4-3 Washington through 7

Cliff Beefpile said...

Ugh. This isn't good for my ulcers.

Steve Sax said...

More scintillating color commentating from Rick Monday:

"One of these two teams knows that they have to win tomorrow."

O__O

Steve Sax said...

Blanton with a 3-K eighth! Well done, Joe.

spank said...

wow Blanton

Cliff Beefpile said...

Blanton strikes out the side. COMEONDAMMIT!

spank said...

Seager montage with Born To Run playing in the background. WTF MLB network!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

@SAX I think Rick Monday wanted to say, "One of these two teams will be wearing rally thongs tomorrow."

Steve Sax said...

Seager Ks to lead off the inning. Too much pressure on the poor kid.

Toles now up

Steve Sax said...

@DBT one of our two announcers will be wearing a rally thong.

Tonight.

spank said...

dammit

Steve Sax said...

Toles flies to center.

Come on, AGon.

Steve Sax said...

Fucking A. Kelley strikes out three of the five batters he's faced.

Steve Sax said...

And, kenley gives up a HR to Werth.

Dammit. This is horrible.

Steve Sax said...

Gotta save Clayton for Game 5

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Wow, how bad can this team choke?

spank said...

fucking horrid

Steve Sax said...

I am not in a good mood right now

Steve Sax said...

Fucking Ned Flanders

Steve Sax said...

PGT up