Saturday, October 24, 2020

World Series Game 4 Thread: Oct 24 @ Rays, 5p

Barnes, Injury Attorney

Urias vs. Yarbrough.

Last night, backup catcher Austin Barnes made the most of this 2020 moment. After being left off the 2019 postseason roster altogether, the light-hitting Barnes not only coaxed Walker Buehler into a dominant starting pitching performance, he also notched a crazy World Series bunt-plus-home-run statistic that had only been matched by Hector Lopez in 1961.

And last night gave a number of signs that the Dodgers' 2020 roster is up for pulling through in a true team effort. Justin Turner, whose defensive prowess in the 2020 postseason has kept us alive, but his bat has been uncommonly quiet (at .232 BA vs. a .307 regular season mark), led off the fireworks with a two-out first-inning home run. Max Muncy, who struggled all year to a subpar .192 batting average, had the two-run, two-out RBI single in the third that spelled the beginning of the end for Tampa Bay starter Charlie Morton. And then there's Barnes, a .198 batter on the season, erupting for a .350 BA and .861 OPS this postseason.

Chris Taylor and Will Smith both went 0-for-4 last night (Smith with a team-leading 4 LOB), but when the team is collectively 2-for-4 with RISP and collecting gut-punching two-out RBI hits, you can feel the offensive pressure even with those off nights.

It's a stark contrast to the Rays, who walked into these first three games with a bunch of sub-.200 hitters on the team, but have not yet opened up (short of Brandon Lowe's two-HR performance in Game 2). Lowe is still batting .154; Ji-Man Choi .143; and only one starter (Manuel Margot) is north of .300 this World Series.

But all of this is small sample size, and a 2-1 lead's advantage can disappear quickly with a loss today. Julio Urias is 4-0 this postseason (in four appearances, only one of which was a start), and is coming off an impressive and efficient three-inning performance to close NLCS Game 7. But this game could be the biggest start in his postseason career (Urias has started two postseason games to date, losing vs. the Cubs in the 2016 NLCS Game 4, and winning vs. Atlanta in this year's NCLS Game 3).

Ryan Yarbrough had 2/3 of an inning in Game 1, rescuing starter Tyler Glasnow in the fifth but yielding two RBI-hits across four batters (Bellinger pop out; Taylor RBI single; Hernandez RBI single; Barnes fly out). He probably won't last long in Tampa Bay's bullpen game tonight. But if the Rays can scratch and claw their way to victory and even the series, I sure as heck will be worried again.

Actually, I'm pretty worried now.

186 comments:

Orel said...

Worry never goes out of fashion

Orel said...

Betts, RF
Seager, SS
Turner, 3B
Muncy, 1B
Smith, C
Bellinger, CF
Pollock, DH
Taylor, LF
Hernandez, 2B
Urias, P

Steve Sax said...

Rays have an interesting lineup today to face the lefty Urias. Margot is hitting cleanup. Renfroe and zulilo buried deep in the lineup.

Orel said...

Arozarena batting second. He batted third for Games 1-3

Orel said...

Updated lineup:

Betts RF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Muncy 1B
Smith C
Bellinger DH
Pollock CF
Taylor LF
Hernández 2B
Urías P

Cody has lower back stiffness

karen said...

Feeling nervous...

karen said...

Roof open in Arlington.

Orel said...

HERE WE GO

Steve Sax said...

Here’s Mookie!

Orel said...

Mookie works a full count but pops out

Steve Sax said...

Full count, but pop out to Diaz. Choi sits this game because of the lefty

Steve Sax said...

3-0 count to Seager but he lines sharply to Lowe at second. Boo

karen said...

JT AGAIN!!!

QuadSevens said...

TURNER!!

Orel said...

Corey smokes a 3-0 pitch but right at a JUSTIN FUCKING TURNER

Steve Sax said...

JT is BACK!!!

Steve Sax said...

Turner had told a reporter that he had figured something out in his swing but wasn’t going to tell what it was until after the series. He sure does

Steve Sax said...

Justin Turner hitting those first inning home runs last night and tonight are so key

Orel said...

K

Orel said...

Urías and his 1st-inning troubles...

QuadSevens said...

Randy can’t get hot. Gotta stop that somehow.

Steve Sax said...

Okay let’s play the THAT IS... game with Joe Buck, the lazy commentator. He is too slow to figure out the play so he says this on every batter’s contact.

(Another Son noticed this)

Orel said...

KK

Orel said...

Does Buck do it in football games too?

Steve Sax said...

Brosseau K for out 2. Arozarena on first with his single

karen said...

Looks out

QuadSevens said...

Kiké with a nice pick and tag to catch Randy stealing. Nice throw by Smith too.

Steve Sax said...

Challenge works! Arozarena out at second

QuadSevens said...

Did Mookie write Jackie Robinson’s initials in the dirt before his at bat?

Orel said...

Love to see Fresh Prince flex his D too

karen said...

Q7...He wrote something, I would like to think it was Jackie's 42.

Orel said...

I went back on the replay, Quad. It looked something like "T20"

QuadSevens said...

Interesting. Thanks for checking Orel. Wonder what it means.

Steve Sax said...

Smith has done some great base running this inning.

Steve Sax said...

CT3 Ks badly. But Yarbrough has 35 pitches through two

Orel said...

KK

K

karen said...

KKK

Steve Sax said...

Urias with K 3

Orel said...

What a catch by Mookie!

karen said...

Mookie with the D!

Steve Sax said...

Oh, Betts! Wow

Steve Sax said...

Crowd chanting Mookie, and he smiles

Orel said...

Urías off to a good start

Orel said...

Maybe Kiké would have been safe if he hadn't taken the time to signal he was safe

Orel said...

SEAGS!

karen said...

COREY!!!

QuadSevens said...

COREY!!

Orel said...

More two-out madness!

Steve Sax said...

Seager!

Orel said...

"THAT is hit into center for a base hit"

Orel said...

"THAT is a strike"

Steve Sax said...

Muncy let’s do this

Orel said...

Nice walk by Muncy

Steve Sax said...

Muncy with another walk

QuadSevens said...

Our check swings are killing us.

Orel said...

Yeah not a good AB by Smith

Orel said...

I can't tell shit in this park. Thought that Renfroe line out was gone

Orel said...

KKKKK

QuadSevens said...

Urías works around a one out walk. Looking good!

Orel said...

Let's see that regular-season A.J.

Orel said...

Just missed!

Orel said...

That'll do!

QuadSevens said...

Pollock listened!

Steve Sax said...

Pollock double in the top of the fourth knocks out Yarbrough. One out.

Orel said...

A.J. was always a good listener

Steve Sax said...

Here’s the bad news: we can’t hit off this Tampa bay bullpen

QuadSevens said...

Arozarena has three straight hits and two of those are HRs.

Orel said...

Why would we pitch to him?

Orel said...

Smith is not having a great game. PB allows the runner to advance

Orel said...

Sorry WP

Orel said...

KKKKKKK

QuadSevens said...

Definitely time to start pitching around him.

Orel said...

Corey singles, advances to second on a WP

Orel said...

Aaugh JT so close

karen said...

3-1

karen said...

Give him hell Doc

Orel said...

Julio taking after Clayton in the solo HR department. 3-2 Dodgers heading into the 6th

Orel said...

More dingers please

Orel said...

Fresh Prince leadoff walk!

Orel said...

Cody went fishing and came up with nothing

Orel said...

Castillo is struggling with his control. Just let him throw balls!

Orel said...

A.J. showing Cody the value of discipline

QuadSevens said...

Another walk. CT3 with an opportunity here.

Orel said...

The ice-cold CT3 comes up

QuadSevens said...

Great time for a slump buster!

Orel said...

He fouls off two pitches right down the pipe

Orel said...

Dammit

QuadSevens said...

Unlucky with that one.

Orel said...

THAAAAAAT

karen said...

THANK YOU KIKI!!!

QuadSevens said...

Kiké delivers! Yes!

karen said...

The Mookie Factor up with 2 on...

Orel said...

Mookie is just waiting until the end of the game for his offensive theatrics

karen said...

Tummy. Queasy.

QuadSevens said...

Mrs. Quad is calling Arozarena by the nickname Macarena. It’s sticking for me.

Orel said...

This is looking bad

Orel said...

Hey...rozarena. Yep it works

karen said...

Now watching game with my hands over my eyes.

Orel said...

Treinen Ks Meadows on three pitches. Need a DP now

Orel said...

C'mon Petey

karen said...

NOOOOOOOOOOO

Orel said...

Yup

QuadSevens said...

Seager starts the rally with a single!

QuadSevens said...

Turner with a double! Let’s go!

Orel said...

LET'S GOOOOOO

QuadSevens said...

Muncy down on three pitches.

QuadSevens said...

Damn. Smith down the same way.

Orel said...

RANCHO ARDIENDO

Orel said...

3-1 count to Joc

karen said...

JOCTOBER!!!

Orel said...

WOW

QuadSevens said...

Woohoo! Way to go Joc!

Orel said...

It's moment like these I think this team might be different than the 2017 & 2018 editions

QuadSevens said...

That was an amazing break for us!

QuadSevens said...

Totally agree Orel. Big hits in clutch situations.

Orel said...

Welp

QuadSevens said...

Baez is done.

Orel said...

WHY IS BAEZ STILL IN

karen said...

Hey, why don't we trot Baez back out there after he gave up a 3 run dinger

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Are the Dodgers out of pitchers? I don’t understand what’s going on

Orel said...

Baez vs Arozarena. Great

QuadSevens said...

Baez vs Macarena. This is gonna be scary.

QuadSevens said...

Whew!

karen said...

A little to late Pedro.

Orel said...

So lucky. I'll take it

Steve Sax said...

I can’t take this

I’ve changed tshirts three times

Orel said...

I've changed pants three times

Orel said...

CT3 double!

Orel said...

"THAAAAAAT is"

QuadSevens said...

CT3 juuuust missed a HR. Double instead.

Orel said...

What was that Kiké

Orel said...

I hate to say this but Mookie needs to show up at the plate

Orel said...

COREY

QuadSevens said...

Holy shitballs! We lead again!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Aaaaaagggghhhhh!!!!!!!! Corey!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

I just hope Roberts finds his bulllpen keys and yanks Baez

QuadSevens said...

Seager and Turner with 4 hits each!

karen said...

IT'S TIME MAX....

Orel said...

Still, the lead

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Six more outs

karen said...

I don't think I'm going to survive this.

Steve Sax said...

Oh man. I don’t think 7 runs will be enough

Steve Sax said...

I’m dying

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

ps, can y’all turn off that got damn gotcha captcha whatever it’s called. it hates me

Steve Sax said...

@karen , I’m sooooooo with you

Steve Sax said...

@ dbt I don’t know if we can stop the captcha thing aorry

Orel said...

GREAT JOB KOLAREK. Four straight balls

Orel said...

DBT, you should just be able to skip the captcha

Orel said...

ONE DOWN

karen said...

I don't think I ever second guess Doc, but what was he thinking bringing Baez back out there for the 7th???

Orel said...

He had Kolarek lined up for the two hitters after Petey

Orel said...

Oh, TWO DOWN

Orel said...

C'mon Brusdar

Orel said...

THREE DOWN, THREE LEFT

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Yes Bazooka!!!

Orel said...

How about some goddamn Geico people

Steve Sax said...

This is setting up for a KJ disaster

Orel said...

Agreed

QuadSevens said...

We need the good Kenley tonight.

Orel said...

CALIFORNIA LOVE ughhhhhh

Orel said...

There's a good Kenley?

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

3 MORE OUTS!!! we got this peeps!!!! have some faith. Let’s go!!!

karen said...

Seatbelts everybody.

Orel said...

Kenley wild on his first two pitches

Orel said...

ONE DOWN

Orel said...

Ugh a bloop single

Orel said...

TWO DOWN

Orel said...

92 mph down the pipe to start Arozarena yeesh

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

uno más comprades

Orel said...

Again, can't tell shit in this park. Thought that was a foul out

Orel said...

Can't argue with the walk

Orel said...

Dodgers bullpen has thrown like zero first-pitch strikes tonight

Orel said...

We'll take that call all day long!

Orel said...

WELP

karen said...

heartbreak

QuadSevens said...

OMG! That was horrible.

Orel said...

That feels like the defining moment of this season

Steve Sax said...

what the fuck.

i am so angry

Steve Sax said...

WE ARE THE CUBS

Orel said...

The Dodgers have made a lot of unforgivable plays. That tops the list

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Get some sleep... we’ll get em tomorrow

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Finally, i’m not a robot.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

That series against the Mets when two runners got thrown out at home in the same play... that was worse

Orel said...

But it wasn't a World Series game

QuadSevens said...

Dave Roberts’s reaction was all of us.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Like Vinny used to say,”leave it to the Dodgers...”