Monday, October 08, 2018

NLDS Game 4 Thread: Oct 8 vs. Barves

"Look, don't give up on me just yet, SoSG Orel."

Rich Hill (11-5, 3.66) vs. Mike Foltynewicz (13-10, 2.85).

Manny Machado has batted cleanup all three games this series, where he is collectively 1-for-12 with 7 Ks, a .083 BA, and a .487 OPS. Sure, his one HR in Game 2 probably won the game for us. But the rest of his swings, a big looping disaster reminiscent of Cody Bellinger in last year's playoffs, is a catastrophe (Bellinger is also anniversarying his playoff performance with an 0-fer-series so far in 2018). If we lose this series--and last night's pendulum-swinging Game 3 loss seems to have shifted momentum to Atlanta--it's going to be because Machado has been a black hole up there at the plate.

Not that we didn't have our chances last night, battling back to tie the game after a Walker Buehler mental meltdown in the second inning (even Buehler recovered, and he sounded pissed off after the game), only to fall short by one run thanks to another Alex Wood mistake.

We've got D Mountain going tonight, so you know there's going to be at least one shaky inning in there. Let's get to Foltynewicz early, as we did in Game 1, and see if we can put this series away.

photo: AP / Mark J. Terrill

106 comments:

Orel said...

Pederson LF
Turner 3B
Muncy 1B
Machado SS
Grandal C
Hernández 2B
Bellinger CF
Puig RF
Hill P

Steve Sax said...

Cleanup, in aisle Machado

Orel said...

Kershaw starts a possible Game 5

Steve Sax said...

Oh man. I’m freaking out here.

QuadSevens said...

I’m tense already. And I can’t watch the game today!

Orel said...

More kitchen living for Quad!

QuadSevens said...

I’m in downtown LA today. This room doesn’t even have windows, let alone a tv. But I have WiFi!

Steve Sax said...

i've got it on in my office...

Steve Sax said...

Smoltz believes in Machado ("watch these numbers change") --and Machado rips one down the left field line, past a slow Acuna, to score Muncy from first.

Now Yasmani is up there hacking.

Steve Sax said...

1-0 LA, two out, Machado on second, Grandal with a 1-2 count.

QuadSevens said...

Machado with a first inning RBI! Can you believe it Orel?

Steve Sax said...

Yasmani Ks, feebly.

1-0 through 0.5

Steve Sax said...

Smoltz says Acuna was late to react to Manny's hit, but the replay angle didn't prove that point. Need a better angle.

Steve Sax said...

Why isn't Mila Kunis just hanging out in the bars I frequent, ready to whisper to me as I approach the bar?

(And by the way, i wouldn't turn away from her and let her disappear)

Steve Sax said...

Two-out Freddie Freeman single, and then a walk. Atlanta fans start singing.

Steve Sax said...

Camargo up. I've got a bad feeling.

Steve Sax said...

Muncy makes a great catch in foul territory, as Camargo swings at the first pitch!

Steve Sax said...

1-0 LA through one.

Let's get some runs NOW, Dodgers!

Steve Sax said...

Sorry, it wasn't Acuna at third, he's in left field.

He was a split-second away from letting Puig's one out single get past him.

Now Bellinger on third, Puig on second, two out (Hill sacrifice).

Steve Sax said...

Watch us strand them though

Steve Sax said...

Pederson is swinging right through the pitches here. 0-1

Steve Sax said...

0-2 count to Joc

Steve Sax said...

hack hack hack hack hack

Steve Sax said...

three-pitch K for Pederson. Horrible.

Steve Sax said...

Honestly when we have innings like that, I just want to scream. Instead of hacking and hacking and hacking with two men on, why not just get a fucking single? Come on.

Steve Sax said...

Glare looks really bad out there.

QuadSevens said...

More LOB. Great!

spank said...

damn. forgot about the early start. east coast sucks.

Steve Sax said...

1-0 LA through 2.

Steve Sax said...

1-2 count to Turner.

Steve Sax said...

Turner has a long at bat, but flies out again.

Steve Sax said...

muncy hacking badly as well

Steve Sax said...

Muncy Ks. We are letting this guy get a groove here.

Steve Sax said...

Machado flies out to center.

Steve Sax said...

1-0 LA through 2.5. I don't have a good feeling about this.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Hill be dealing today... But I still don't have a good feeling about this.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Crap, I jinxed it... C'mon Hill!

Steve Sax said...

Hill does a nice job to escape a two-out jam. 1-0 LA through 3

Steve Sax said...

@DBT: Hiya!

Steve Sax said...

Okay I'm off to the ther other side for a while, sorry

QuadSevens said...

Suzuki knocks in two. Braves up 2-1 in the 4th.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Whew...

QuadSevens said...

Still 2-1 Braves after five.

Johnny Blanchard said...

If Manny does something today, we win. That is what I declare.

I like how with this ownership and front office, I don’t need to worry about them signing a useless turd like MM.

To show I’m magnanimous, I’m never to even mad about the error. Only the putriditu at the plate.

Let’s go Dodgers!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Put on your rally hats. Here come some runs.

Johnny Blanchard said...

I should fix my French. Le putritidu, I meant to say.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Ok DBT!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

David Freese!!! My man!

QuadSevens said...

You called it DBT! Dodgers lead 3-2 now in the 6th!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Enough with the highfalutin French words, Johnny B. This is a dive blog.

Johnny Blanchard said...

You put another brain in Baez ‘s body and you have instant ace

Johnny Blanchard said...

Yeehaw baseball fans. This would really suck if we lose because the Braves aren’t that good!!!!
Let’s put a hurting on these southern-fried rubes!

Steve Sax said...

@Johnny Blanchard, Machado is up here in the seventh, no outs, first and second. He's fouling a lot away. Here we go....

Steve Sax said...

BOOM!

Steve Sax said...

Three-run HR!!!! MACHADO

QuadSevens said...

Machado comes through! Sweet!

Steve Sax said...

Oh man, that shot of a joyful Kershaw in the dugout was great.

Steve Sax said...

M A C H A D O

Steve Sax said...

Joe Davis just called this, but yes it's very quiet at SunTrust Field now.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Good good good. Pour it on boys. We’re the team to beat!

Steve Sax said...

One-out walk to Kike.

Steve Sax said...

@Johnny: I am not sure if I am feeling quite that optimistic, but I like how you're feeling.

Steve Sax said...

Rosenthal said that Machado just said he's going to make them pay for their mistakes.

Well, he made a lot out of Sobotka's mistake.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

That was a glorious dinger! Wow!

Steve Sax said...

Bellinger is SO BAD at the plate in the playoffs. It's insane.

Steve Sax said...

Kike on first, two out, Puig up.

Steve Sax said...

Puig is gonna launch one here.

Steve Sax said...

Puig chases a bad one.

6-2 going to the stretch.

Johnny Blanchard said...

@steve sax oh this will be bad if we blow this bad boy. But I don’t think we will!!!

Johnny Blanchard said...

Old reliable Pedro Baez. Setting em down like always

Johnny Blanchard said...

Freddie freeman. He’s ol daddy longlegs

Johnny Blanchard said...

6 outs until the Cerveceros! The cheesemen! The Bratboys!

Johnny Blanchard said...

I don’t think the Braves fans remember Matty played for them.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Is Wisconsin the land of, like, no lakes at all? It’s gotta still have like 4 or 5 Thousand lakes, right? Everyone pisses on Wisconsin’s lakes but seriously it must have a lot. Minnesota is a lake glory hog.

Steve Sax said...

Maeda gets a K with that changeup. One out.

Steve Sax said...

@JB 4.25p: "Old reliable Pedro Baez", that's some funny shit right there

Johnny Blanchard said...

Na na an na na na na na na hey hey hey hey goooood byyyyye

Later Braves. Need an upgrade.

Johnny Blanchard said...

UNa na an na na na na na na hey hey hey hey goooood byyyyye

Later Braves. Need an upgrade.

Steve Sax said...

Nervous time. Bottom 8, Maeda with men at the corners, Duda up. 6-2 LA lead looks precarious.

Steve Sax said...

2-0 count and neither pitch was close

Steve Sax said...

Duda is a very big dude.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

What's with Charlie Steiner and the doomsday scenarios? Let's go Maeda!

Steve Sax said...

3-0 count. It's Walker Buehler all over again

Steve Sax said...

3-1 count, Maeda grooved that so we are lucky

Steve Sax said...

towering shot that went foul

Steve Sax said...

MAEDA GETS DUDA TO POP TO CENTER!

Steve Sax said...

6-2, going to the ninth

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Big Dud-a

Johnny Blanchard said...

Lol who’s doomsday?lets reverse-jinx this mug

Time to add on 3 more Doyers!!!

Johnny Blanchard said...

That was one big Dud

Johnny Blanchard said...

Uncharacteristic at bat by the strike zone maestro Muncy

Steve Sax said...

Wow, Fangraphs had the Braves with an 80% chance of winning, in the bottom of the fifth.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Manny is all over this guy

Johnny Blanchard said...

Manny is something else. That is a hit to right field but all. He. Does. Is. Try. And. Hit. Home runs.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Kenley for 3 outs! 6-2 ‘gers

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

I can’t drink beer 🍺 Yet. So all of you reading this. Drink. For. Delino

Steve Sax said...

Two out. Freeman up, Kenley's got a 2-1 count.

Steve Sax said...

K

DODGERS WIN!!!!

Steve Sax said...

Big Papi, on the postgame show, is saying Kershaw on the road is a question mark.

Steve Sax said...

A-Rod says Kershaw can't have a Game 2 gem against the Brewers.

Johnny Blanchard said...

That’s a weiner.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

We make NLDS party!!!

QuadSevens said...

8 more wins! (Sprays champagne)

Johnny Blanchard said...



Off to the Land of Plenty.

Orel said...

WIN

QuadSevens said...

@Sax Btw...You really channeled your inner Nostradamus with the caption on the game thread pic.