Thursday, October 21, 2021

2021 NLCS Game 5 Thread: Oct 21 vs. Braves

TBD Mariachi Joe Kelly vs. Max Fried, 5p.

We've been here before, right? Like, last year?

Except we had Clayton Kershaw then. And Kiké Hernandez. And Max Muncy. And Justin Turner. Look, you can keep that Joc Pederson guy and all the best to him. But we miss these other four, like, a lot.

I was at 2018 World Series Game 3 (in a suite!) and after the 18th inning Muncy HR, I felt a wave of emotion and was totally charged leaving the Stadium that night. And none of that mattered in the next game when we lost, ultimately losing the series in five games.

This year, I was at 2021 NLCS Game 3 (also in a suite!) and after that amazing come-from-behind 6-5 victory, I again felt a wave of emotion and was totally charged leaving the Stadium last night. And again, it didn't matter the following day, as Julio Urias struggled (his Game 2 appearance now cost us two games, not just one) and the bats just weren't there all night (against the scrub Braves bullpen, no less).

Look, I just about lost all hope as soon as I opened the LAT Wednesday morning to find resident hack Bill Plaschke calling the series for the Dodgers. There's still a bit of hope left (about 20%, if you believe the statistical models), but it sure feels a lot different without those key ingredients, and with two of the three in Atlanta.

sigh.

37 comments:

QuadSevens said...

This postseason shows the importance of winning your division. The Wild Card game threw off our rotation. And because we're the WC team, we don't get home field advantage despite having won 18 more regular season games than the Braves. Doc is gonna catch some heat for his pitching moves for sure, but not winning the division was the first domino in the long line to fall. Stupid Gnats and their record breaking season!

QuadSevens said...

GAME 5

Mookie Betts RF
Trea Turner 2B
Corey Seager SS
Will Smith C
AJ Pollock LF
Albert Pujols 1B
Chris Taylor 3B
Cody Bellinger CF
Joe Kelly P

QuadSevens said...

"Hold onto your butts!" -Dodgers fans everywhere

Steve Sax said...

@Quad 8.14a: Yeah, I need to think about this more completely before I write a post on it, but I do think (with hindsight) that maybe once we knew we had a playoff entry, we should have started resting guys. Muncy wouldn't have gotten hurt, for one thing. But then we wouldn't have been gassed going into the playoffs, and had to play all of our chips in the WC game plus the NLDS. We could have rested for ~10 more games and still had the same outcome.

Steve Sax said...

It was VERY satisfying to dispatch the Giants.

But in the end, it might have been that series victory that ended up killing us as well.

Very Romeo and Juliet-like action going on here.

Steve Sax said...

Joe Kelly with the start! Bring on the mariachi band!!!

karen said...

Mariachi Joe!! Love that guy.

QuadSevens said...

@Sax Resting guys in the last part of the season would have been a tough call. You'd be telling everyone that you're not trying to win the division. I can see why they didn't do that, but in hindsight it does make sense now. Totally agree that it's always good to take out the Giants! We just need a win tonight!

QuadSevens said...

Andy Burns added to the roster in place of Justin Turner today.

QuadSevens said...

If the Dodgers have a big first inning and Joe Kelly gets on base somehow, can he wear the Mariachi Jacket while on the bases?

karen said...

HERE WE GO!!!

QuadSevens said...

Well shit!

karen said...

Damn that Freddie Freeman

QuadSevens said...

Do the TBS guys get paid each time they say “flip the script”?

QuadSevens said...

Mariachi Joe out injured in the middle of an at bat. Great.

QuadSevens said...

Down 2-0 in the first. Let’s see how the offense responds.

QuadSevens said...

Nothing happening in the first for us.

QuadSevens said...

“The script does flip again.” Drink!

QuadSevens said...

ATTABOY POLLOCK!!

karen said...

AJ busts one out of there!

QuadSevens said...

CT3!! 3-2 DODGERS!

QuadSevens said...

The offense has come alive! 4 straight hits to start the second.

QuadSevens said...

Weird play. Cody takes off early, hits the breaks, then Fried notices mid pitch and hits Turner. Inning continues.

QuadSevens said...

All these little shift beating singles are killing us.

MR.F said...

At least our offense has showed up so far.

QuadSevens said...

Fried out in the fifth. Still leading 4-2.

QuadSevens said...

CT3 AGAIN!!! 6-2!!

MR.F said...

Wow Chris Taylor

MR.F said...

Wow

QuadSevens said...

CT3 X3!! HOLY COW!!

karen said...

WOW...This game has kind of made me speechless.

QuadSevens said...

POLLOCK AGAIN!! 11-2!!

QuadSevens said...

Kenley coming in to finish it off.

karen said...

WIN!!!

QuadSevens said...

The offense lives! Going back to the ATL!

Neeebs said...

Are we making party yet?

Steve Sax said...

Neeebs!

Yes we are