Tuesday, October 20, 2020

World Series Game 1 Thread: Oct 20 vs Rays, 5p

Some say JT is still floating there, waiting for a teammate to complete the low-five.

Clayton Kershaw vs Tyler Glasnow.

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat is going on??? How did the Boys in Blue go from staring elimination in the face (sans mask, no less) to barreling into their third World Series in four years?

Let us count the ways:

1. Timely hitting. And just enough of it. The Dodgers' margins of victory in their four NLCS wins: 12, 4, 2, 1. In Game 7, both Kiké Hernandez's and Cody Bellinger's ABs went like this:

  • pitch #5: foul
  • pitch #6: foul
  • pitch #7: foul
  • pitch #8: crucial HR

The Barves' pitching tightened up and somehow our bats, as Dr. Ian Malcolm might say, found a way.

Oh yeah, congrats to NLCS MVP Corey Seager! Keep mashing, Corey.

2. Pitching. While our starters have been variable, the bullpen has been the best we've seen lately. Let's hope Clayton can go deep into tonight's game and preserve those relief arms.

3. De-fense! De-fense! De-fense! Mookie Betts! Justin Turner (above)! Defensive Runs Saved might not be as sexy a stat as, say, dingers, but it all adds up (or subtracts down).

4. Managing. Let's credit Dave Roberts when he pushes the right buttons. Our first two openers in Game 7 (Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin) weren't great but Doc made the adjustments to settle the pitching down. He PHed Kiké at the right time and trusted Julio Urías to finish the game. No Clayton or Kenley in sight.

5. Luck. Finally, that last ingredient that no amount of money can buy. In Game 7 it came in the form of the double TOOTBLAN courtesy of Dansby Swanson and Austin Riley. We suuuuuure could use a few more of those types of plays by the Rays.

Will this finally be our year? Will the small-market Rays triumph over our clever, moneyed overlords? In 1988, both the Lakers and Dodgers handled their business. 32 years later, we're thisclose to it happening again.

GO BLUE!

114 comments:

Orel said...

Betts, RF
Seager, SS
Turner, 3B
Muncy, 1B
Smith, DH
Bellinger, CF
Taylor, 2B
Pederson, LF
Barnes, C
Kershaw, P

Orel said...

Nervous

QuadSevens said...

I'm stress eating all the Halloween candy here.

Orel said...

I approve, Quad. Screw those kids

QuadSevens said...

We don't get trick or treaters here. We buy a bunch of Halloween candy just for me!

(eats another Butterfinger)

Orel said...

You are living the life!

Steve Sax said...

No Big League Chew?

Baby Ruth?

Reggie bars?

QuadSevens said...

Just Butterfingers and Snickers. Finished all the Reese's already.

karen said...

Here we go Sons and Daughters...

QuadSevens said...

Leadoff single. It’s over.

QuadSevens said...

Kershaw and his magic dirty hat escape unscathed.

karen said...

Kid K takes us on a bumpy ride to start but gets out of it.

QuadSevens said...

If Muncy connects with one of these 99 mph pitches it might never land.

QuadSevens said...

Not this at bat.

QuadSevens said...

1-2-3 inning for Kershaw. 31 pitches through two.

QuadSevens said...

4 outfielder shift against Smith. But he strikes out.

QuadSevens said...

Bellinger grounds out and barely jogs to first. Seems very unlike him.

QuadSevens said...

No score after two innings. And I’m out of Snickers bars.

QuadSevens said...

Kersh looks good through 3.

QuadSevens said...

Seager with his second walk. Turner up with two down.

QuadSevens said...

Turner rung up on a check swing. No score after 3.

QuadSevens said...

Kershaw is looking good through 4.

QuadSevens said...

Hat turned backwards for some runs this inning. Let’s go!

QuadSevens said...

BELLIBOMB!! 2-0!!

karen said...

CODY LOVE!!!!!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

What shoulder soreness???

Orel said...

CODYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

QuadSevens said...

Free taco!

karen said...

Free Tacos!!!

QuadSevens said...

Boo! No free taco.

Orel said...

Kersh 55 pitches thru 4. Glasnow 81 pitches thru 3 2/3

Orel said...

KKKKKKK

QuadSevens said...

Rally cap worked. Kershaw at 200 postseason Ks now.

QuadSevens said...

Kersh gives up a solo shot. 2-1 now.

Orel said...

The solo shot is his specialty!

QuadSevens said...

Now we get free tacos!

Orel said...

Mookie gets $365 million, we get free tacos. Seems fair

QuadSevens said...

Ducks on the pond for Turner. Nobody out.

Orel said...

Two steals gets you a free Taco Bell franchise

QuadSevens said...

Mookie scores on a Muncy grounder. 3-1!

QuadSevens said...

Smith with an RBI single to center! 4-1!

QuadSevens said...

Open the floodgates! CT3 and Kiké with RBIs to make it 6-1!

Steve Sax said...

6-1 Baby! Wow we are hot. I hope we can keep this up for four wins.

Orel said...

That was a good inning

Steve Sax said...

6-1 through five. Now let's see how Clayton does in the sixth...at least we have some cushion this time.

Steve Sax said...

Finally finished my conf calls. Eager to watch this one now!

QuadSevens said...

Great defense from Turner!

Orel said...

JT wants his ring

Steve Sax said...

TURNER! What a play!

karen said...

JT makes a play for the highlight reel.

Steve Sax said...

0-for-3 tonight from the plate, but JT is on fire defensively (this game, and last)

Steve Sax said...

Lowe foul outs to Muncy. Here's the scary Arozarena

Steve Sax said...

One pitch, quick third out.

6-1 through 5.5

Steve Sax said...

Paul Giamatti is doing Volkswagen commercials?!

Orel said...

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE

Steve Sax said...

MOOOOOOOKIE!!!

Steve Sax said...

no dammit on that one---i used fewer OOOOOOOOOs

Steve Sax said...

man on the first pitch and everything. wow.

Steve Sax said...

Mookie, first HR since Sept 18? Unbelievable that he has had such a huge impact without that.

Steve Sax said...

Turner double! NICE

Steve Sax said...

I think he got that one, too

QuadSevens said...

Turner hit the top of the wall!

Orel said...

The carousel has started!

QuadSevens said...

Now Muncy smokes one!

Steve Sax said...

Muncy!!!!

RBI double... 8-1

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

This is fun!!!

Steve Sax said...

Fleming starts the AB inside on Smith. Easy there, Fleming.

Steve Sax said...

Wait is Kershaw done?

Steve Sax said...

Smith sacs Muncy to third. Two out, here's Cody.

Steve Sax said...

Looks like Floro

Steve Sax said...

Cody, give Dylan some time to warm up

Steve Sax said...

Or not

Steve Sax said...

8-1 LA through 6.

Steve Sax said...

QUALITY START FOR KERSHAW

THAT HAD BETTER BE THE HEADLINE TOMORROW, ALL YOU HATERS

Steve Sax said...

I want a crispy chicken TACO

Steve Sax said...

Floro gets a K for the first out. Lots of outside pitches, and still got the K outside

Steve Sax said...

Deep fly ball, how did Bellinger miss that one?!

Steve Sax said...

Went off the heel of the glove. Cody should have had that one.

Okay, second and third, one out.

Steve Sax said...

Ji-Man Choi coming in to PH. So Doc goes to V-Gon. Hmm.

Steve Sax said...

Choi immediately lifted for Mike Brosseau, before the AB. Chess game.

Steve Sax said...

Victor is missing here. 3-0 count

Steve Sax said...

Dammit, this is not good

Steve Sax said...

8-2 LA. Brousseau singles to right, RBI. Now men at the corners.

Victor was NOT ready to come in.

Steve Sax said...

Doc may have tried to get too cute here. 8-3 on the Kermaier RBI single.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Gonzalez hasn’t looked the same the last couple of outings. He’s showing his youth.

Steve Sax said...

Wow, unbelievable double play.

Orel said...

The old 1-4 DP!

Steve Sax said...

Rocket comeback to Gonzalez, doubles Brosseau off of second.

Steve Sax said...

8-3 LA, mid-7

Steve Sax said...

We got lucky there. No more cute sudden bullpen moves, guys

Steve Sax said...

Hell of a reflex catch by V-Gon there

Steve Sax said...

Bottom of the order rolling over and playing dead here in the bottom of the seventh.

Steve Sax said...

8-3 LA through 7 full

Orel said...

Six more outs. C'mon bullpen

Orel said...

Five more outs. C'mon bullpen

Orel said...

Four more outs. C'mon bullpen

Steve Sax said...

Baez gets Diaz to pop to second.

Now 1-2 on Lowe

Steve Sax said...

Gets Lowe to pop to second. Two out.

Steve Sax said...

And here's a quick word from Bacardi. In the middle of the game.

Steve Sax said...

We know Arozarena is going to mash at least once.

Orel said...

Three more outs. C'mon bullpen

Steve Sax said...

I don't practice Arozarena. I ain't got no crystal ball.

But he flies to center.

8-3 LA, mid-8

Steve Sax said...

Wow, that commercial really convinces me that amazon is there for the small business.

Orel said...

Mookie singles yawn

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Three more outs

Orel said...

Have Dodger relievers thrown any first-pitch strikes tonight?

Orel said...

Cody with the casual HR robbery

Orel said...

Two more outs. C'mon bullpen

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Another routine catch by the Dodgers outfield...

QuadSevens said...

Cody making the game look easy with that one.

Orel said...

One more out. C'mon bullpen

QuadSevens said...

World Series game 1 win!!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

High fives!!! 🤚

Steve Sax said...

WIN!!!