Tuesday, October 23, 2018

World Series Game 1 Thread: Oct 23 @ Red Sox, 5p

Clayton Kershaw (9-5, 2.73) vs. Chris Sale (12-4, 2.11).

Finally, the hangover is over.

This year, the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Boston Red Sox, a strongly-favored team with a gargantuan payroll who cruised through the regular season and first two rounds of the playoffs, backed by strong starting pitching. Sound familiar?

Barring any potential racist gestures in the impending playoff series, it's admittedly difficult to dislike the Red Sox, and nigh impossible to hate on Boston manager and former Dodger Alex Cora. Dodger manager Dave Roberts continues to be friends with Cora, as they were teammates in Los Angeles in 2004, and Roberts was the one of the first to congratulate Cora on his marathon 18-pitch AB in May 2004 (you can read the definitive story of Cora's marathon 18-pitch AB here).

This is the first World Series managed by two players who each played for both teams. And this is the first World Series helmed by two minority managers. This is pretty cool stuff, set before the context of two historic franchises.

But let's face it, the underdog Dodgers should be the one the baseball gods (if there are any) prefer. While Boston has rattled off three titles since 2004, you may have heard that the Dodgers have been without a championship since 1988.

But we've got momentum. Our Game 7 NLCS victory over the Brewers (on the road!) was thrilling, as we saw some dormant bats awaken (Yasiel Puig, Cody Bellinger), some young stars shine (Walker Buehler, Julio Urias), some veterans show poise (Kenley Jansen, Justin Turner, Clayton Kershaw), and some unsung heroes astonish (Chris Taylor). Oh, and we've got this guy, too, who will both confound and surprise (like with a bunt single that led to an unrelinquished lead). We've got a full head of steam here.

It's time for us to capture some of that October magic.

It's time for us to grab this narrative.

It's time for us to rise up.

LET'S GO, DODGERS.

So grab your drum set, set it up in the back of your pickup truck, and let's take a ride down the street at 5mph.

158 comments:

Orel said...

Dozier 2B
Turner 3B
Freese 1B
Machado SS
Taylor LF
Kemp DH
Hernández CF
Puig RF
Barnes C
(Kershaw P)

spank said...

Fuck the Red Sox and all of Boston!

Steve Sax said...

Dozier batting leadoff.

(cries)

QuadSevens said...

Dozier has a .255 average against Sale. 7 of his 12 hits are for extra bases. I hope he has some magic in his bat tonight.

QuadSevens said...

I'm more worried about Puig and Taylor not knowing how to play the walls in Fenway.

Steve Sax said...

You're right, Q7!

Dozier .255/.300/.532 (47 AB)
Machado .316/.409/.579 (19 AB)
Freese .400/.500/.400 (5 AB)
Grandal .000/.000/.000 (1 AB)

Steve Sax said...

vs Kershaw:

Eduardo Nunez .167/.167/.250 (12 AB)
JD Martinez .375/.444/.875 (8 AB)
Ian Kinsler .500/.667/.500 (2 AB)
Steve Pearce .500/.500/1.000 (2 AB)

Steve Sax said...

I am so nervous

QuadSevens said...

Martinez is going to be tough. He was a beast against us when he was with Arizona.

Orel said...

To fair, I think very few opposing outfields know the Fenway walls. Definite part of HFA

Orel said...

@McCulloughTimes
15 minutes ago

Scott Alexander made the roster because he can pitch on back-to-back days, Dave Roberts said. The team did not feel Caleb Ferguson could.

Orel said...

Rain delay?

Alex Cora said...

Let’s go Dodgers!! - from AC

Orel said...

AC, true Dodger!

Orel said...

Thought he was going to say J.D. Drew again

spank said...

who's singing next...Carole King?

Orel said...

Joan Baez?

QuadSevens said...

Let’s do this!!

Steve Sax said...

Smoltz re: Sale: "The question is, is he rusty?"

His belly button sure is.

Steve Sax said...

2-2 count, and Sale has velocity.

Orel said...

Dozier Ks to open WHAT A SHOCK

Steve Sax said...

Dozier, yet another called K. One out.

Hideo Nomo said...

He looked like he was going to die trying to foul those pitches off.

Steve Sax said...

Boy it looks cold there.

Steve Sax said...

2-2 count to JT.

Orel said...

Turner Ks on an 80 mph slider

Steve Sax said...

Sale is fooling us pretty bad.

Orel said...

Sale at 95-96 is no bueno for us

Orel said...

Freese single!

Steve Sax said...

@Nomo 5.14p: I was dying watching Dozier bat.

FREESE BREAKS THE SEAL!

QuadSevens said...

Now batting, the World Series villain, Machado.

Orel said...

Manny first-pitch swinging of course

Steve Sax said...

Boos not as bad for Machado here @ Fenway, vs. Miller Park

Steve Sax said...

1-2 to Machado.

Sale will have at least 20 pitches this inning.

Steve Sax said...

Sale's pitch count is good, since the rest of the order will not put up a fight

Orel said...

Steinered!

Steve Sax said...

Manny flies out to left.

0-0 through 0.5

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Steve Sax - you are my MUSE

Orel said...

Just gave away one out on Fresse missing that foul ball

QuadSevens said...

Dropped pop up. Hope it doesn’t bite us.

Orel said...

It bit us

Orel said...

Dodger defense on point...not

QuadSevens said...

And it got worse with the steal.

QuadSevens said...

Small ball scores a run. Let’s see if the Dodgers take notes.

Orel said...

ugh

QuadSevens said...

Barnes has made two throws to second and both have been terrible.

Orel said...

WHY CAN'T PUIG HIT THE FUCKING CUTOFF MAN FOR ONCE

Steve Sax said...

Why the fuck was Puig throwing home there anyway

Steve Sax said...

dammit

Steve Sax said...

TV off. I can't take this.

spank said...

sack up Kershaw. earn your money fool.

spank said...

i turned volume off after 2nd hit.

Orel said...

Kershaw already at 4,304 pitches in the 1st

Orel said...

We're getting swept aren't we

QuadSevens said...

Never!!

spank said...

and with that run Kershaw is officially not even close to best Dodgers pitcher ever. choker.

QuadSevens said...

Kershaw with the pickoff! Sweet!!

Orel said...

Somehow we escape. That could have been a LOT worse

QuadSevens said...

Only 20 pitches for Kershaw. Time for him to settle down.

Orel said...

I haven't even started today's Daily Deadpool!

QuadSevens said...

Get those taco tokens Orel!

QuadSevens said...

MATT KEMP!!!

Orel said...

THE REAL MUTHAFUCKIN MATT KEMP

QuadSevens said...

Three full counts this inning. Dodger bats making Sale work.

Orel said...

Puig shoulda crotch-chopped on the walk

Orel said...

This strike zone is puckering up like my butthole

Orel said...

Kershaw starts the 2nd with walk. Not good

Orel said...

Clayton is not long for this game. 1st & 3rd with one out

Orel said...

GIDP

QuadSevens said...

The Villain turns two to help Kershaw. Love it.

Orel said...

but it was smoked

Orel said...

JT single with one out

Orel said...

Two on for guess who

Orel said...

Manny ties it up!

Orel said...

We strand two

QuadSevens said...

New ball game boys and girls!

Orel said...

Kersh Ks Betts to open the 3rd!

Orel said...

Uh your comment about Fenway defense is noted, Quad

Orel said...

Another GIDP!

Orel said...

Gonna be overturned

QuadSevens said...

Damn that Fenway outfield!

Orel said...

Kiké played Martinez's double pretty well off the wall

Steve Sax said...

Okay 3-2 through 3, and that’s WITH the overruled double play costing us a run. Let’s go, Blue!

Orel said...

So much for making Sale work. He's about to escape the 4th with minimal pitches thrown

Orel said...

Sale at 85 pitches thru 4. He'll go at least 5

Orel said...

KKKKK

Orel said...

Dozier walks on strike two. Sale OUT

Orel said...

The home plate ump is bad, but he's consistently bad

Orel said...

1st & 2nd no out, Freese up

spank said...

stoopid. why did you swing at that pitch

Orel said...

Men advance on a WP!

Orel said...

Manny ties it up again!

QuadSevens said...

We need more Boos for Manny!

Orel said...

Another man stranded on 3rd but it's tied

Orel said...

Manny's gotta spike someone, be a real asshole

Orel said...

Kersh gone after allowing two on in the 5th

Orel said...

Madson starts with a WP, advancing the runners! Yay!

Orel said...

Madson Ks Martinez on 3 pitches. Wow!

Johnny Blanchard said...

I guess madson is feeling nasty tonight. All fastballs

Johnny Blanchard said...

Cmon Madsy. Change this guy up.

Orel said...

ugh

Orel said...

Ryu better have it tomorrow

Johnny Blanchard said...

Kickass Progressive commercial there! What’s happened to my son?

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

C'mon Lindesy Buckingham Koozie Old Buddy, Don't Let Me Down!

Johnny Blanchard said...

Plenty of game left, big O. Sox pen is not the Brewers ‘ pen (although even their pen wasn’t exactly their own).

Johnny Blanchard said...

Holy crap! A dodger compliment from Smoltz! Check his vitals!

Orel said...

These Red Sox bats...relentless

Orel said...

About that Sox pen...

Cliff Beefpile said...

Seriously, someone needs to get Smoltz some Cymbalta or something. Dude is just a miserable bastard.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

If you saw GET OUT then you know what happened to Smoltz.

Orel said...

and today

Cliff Beefpile said...

I can't see Jackie Bradley Jr. without thinking of Martin Short's Jackie Rogers Jr. character. It's upsetting.

Orel said...

Julio paintin'

Cliff Beefpile said...

HotDAMN Urias has looked brilliant.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Well holy shit Vinny says yes on Prop 4. Guess I need to pay attention to that one.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Ryu's pop-up video teaser for tomorrow night's game made me almost as uncomfortable as he must have been filming it.

Orel said...

Muncy singles. One out for JT

Cliff Beefpile said...

Muncy with a nice AB.

Orel said...

JT singles. I've seen this movie before

QuadSevens said...

We got something cookin’ In the seventh!

Orel said...

Grandal batting for Freese. Prediction: K on 3 pitches

Cliff Beefpile said...

Yaz? We wanna WIN this game, Roberts!

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Yaz time. Back up. BACK UP

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Putting in Yaz in this situation feels like hitting on 18 in blackjack.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Brasier's scared of Yaz.
Meanwhile. we're TERRIFIED of him

Cliff Beefpile said...

Frasier clearly didn't watch the film of Grandal in the NLCS

QuadSevens said...

Boos for Manny! Let’s go Villain!!

Orel said...

RANCHO FREAKIN ARDIENDO

Orel said...

Manny shoulda done a pre-emptive crotch grab

QuadSevens said...

The Villain with 3 RBIs tonight.

Orel said...

Still, only down by one. 5-4

Cliff Beefpile said...

These are the situations that need to work out for us if we're gonna win this damn thing. Come on, Cody Pop

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Putting Yaz in reminded me of the time Mr Burns gave an important task to Homer. When Smithers runs down the dozens of ways Homer almost destroyed the plant, Burns simply replies "I figured he was due"

Cliff Beefpile said...

Fuck.

Cliff Beefpile said...

MORE THREE-RUN HOMERUNS, PLEASE!

Cliff Beefpile said...

Goddammit, Joc.

Johnny Blanchard said...

Amazing that Red Sox are able to run a game without blaring house music and in-game hosts.

This is my Smoltz moment.

Cliff Beefpile said...

I mean, has Alex Wood done anything but give up dingers this postseason?

Orel said...

Alex Wood comes in and the game is over

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

XX XX

.

.....
.. ..
.. ..

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

He's also given up moonshots, bombs, taters and a wallop or two

Cliff Beefpile said...

For as much of a red-ass that Alex Wood is, you'd think he'd be better at actually getting people out.

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Y'all okay?

QuadSevens said...

Wood killed us.

Orel said...

again

Orel said...

None of this happens if Joc didn't drop that fucking ball

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

Heres Lies SOSG Nation

rbnlaw said...

Poison chalice, this game.

rbnlaw said...

And of course, he gets Benintendi

Orel said...

Joc grounds out weakly for the first out of the 9th

rbnlaw said...

Beat LA chant in Boston? Guess they're not the world's greatest fanbase.

Orel said...

Muncy strikes out weakly for the second out of the 9th

Delino DeShields, Sr said...

We all need this right now... Philly Fans Mocking Birdman Kimbrel
https://youtu.be/lsjb3p_bga8

Orel said...

Well fuck

QuadSevens said...

@Delino Thanks. Needed that laugh right now.

Orel said...

A flaming bag o' shit!

spank said...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Alex Cora said...

UUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSS