Monday, April 10, 2023

Series Thread (Games 11-13): Apr 10-12 @ Giants

Mon 4.10: Julio Urias vs. Webb
Tue 4.11: Dustin May vs. Wood
Wed 4.12: Clayton Kershaw vs. Cobb
All games 6.45p

The Dodgers just came off a very unsatisfying four-game series in Arizona in which they scored 22 runs, striking first blood in all four games--and only ended up with one win to show for those efforts. Three times, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Diamondbacks used speed on the bases and timely hitting to overwhelm the Dodgers and take back leads for good. The Dodgers yielded 23 runs to the Snakes on Saturday and Sunday alone, letting the games get out of hand quickly.

This may be the pitch clock era swallowing the methodical Dave Roberts' relief pitching decisions, as things spiral out of control before an arm is reaady in the extremely shaky bullpen. Noah Syndergaard's 6.30 ERA and Michael Grove's 14.73 ERA also don't help any, but nor does a bullpen full of underachieving pitchers (Caleb Ferguson, 4.50 ERA; Andre Jackson, 5.40; Brusdar Graterol, 6.75; and Alex Vesia, a stratospheric 12.00).

Oh, and Max Muncy, who ended last year batting .196, is even WORSE this year at .121. I didn't think that was possible given the shift limitations, but Muncy is beyond my putrid expectations so far. Miguel "I'm Not Gavin" Rojas is .118; Chris Taylor is .125; and David Peralta is .174. It's pretty pathetic from about half of the Dodgers' lineup.

So what to make of this? Maybe the Snakes just have our number this year (winning five of eight). Or maybe this 2023 Dodgers team just sucks. At 5-5 through 10 games, we're in second place by a game. This series against San Francisco should prove whether we've got something, or whether we will just be in the Padres' rear view mirror all year.

57 comments:

QuadSevens said...

Definitely an ugly start to the season. Let's hope the Dodgers bring their hateHateHATE for this series.

QuadSevens said...

GAME 1

Betts 2B
Freeman 1B
Smith C
Muncy 3B
Martinez DH
Heyward RF
Outman CF
Peralta LF
Taylor SS

Urias P

Steve Sax said...

Thanks Quad for posting the lineup!!!

QuadSevens said...

No problem!

QuadSevens said...

🐄🔑💣! 1-0!

QuadSevens said...

Muncy with a 3 run 💣! 4-0 Dodgers.

Steve Sax said...

Urias strikes out Joey Bart, the tying run at the plate!

4-1 LA through four

Steve Sax said...

Both sides go 1-2-3 in the fifth. Heyward with a great catch to end B5!

Urias and Webb both have high pitch counts. Let’s see what happens next

Steve Sax said...

Muncy singles! He’s now 2-for-2 with a walk and a three-run HR.

Steve Sax said...

Ok, Jason Heyward GIDPs to end the inning. But that new 3D on Gameday is pretty damn neat! Who needs cable?

Steve Sax said...

4-1 LA, mid-6

Steve Sax said...

Giants are apparently averaging 11 Ks a game, the league high, with a contact rate of only 28%

Steve Sax said...

Outman with a deep catch in left center to end the inning.

4-1 LA through six

Steve Sax said...

Wow I am totally excited by this new mlb gameday app’s 3D function. Amazing.

Steve Sax said...

Outman works a leadoff walk.

Vargas in for Peralta.

Steve Sax said...

Outman steals second. CT grounds to third which saves us from the DP. Two out.

Steve Sax said...

Taylor Rogers chased. Pitching change for SF, Outman still on second.

Steve Sax said...

🐄🔑🦇🦇🦇🦇!

5-1 LA, single scores Outman

spank said...

grand slam Muncy!!

Steve Sax said...

Muncy GS!!!

9-1 LA, mid-7

Steve Sax said...

spank is alive and commenting!!!

Muncy bringing everyone up!!!

QuadSevens said...

Muncy’s bat is going to heat up this series.

QuadSevens said...

Vesia is still horrible.

QuadSevens said...

Big K there for Vesia.

Steve Sax said...

Geez. I go to take a shower, and Vesia has the bases loaded with none out. Great.

He gets a K for our number one, 95 mph upstairs.

QuadSevens said...

Back to back strikeouts!

Steve Sax said...

SF fans are cheering “beat LA”, down 9-1.

Hmm

Steve Sax said...

Vesia Ks Estrada! Two out

Steve Sax said...

Almonte in to face Flores, with two out and the bases juiced.

QuadSevens said...

@Sax I was thinking the same thing about the “Beat LA” chant.

Steve Sax said...

Quad, my feed is really slow apparently 🤣

Steve Sax said...

Tell me what happens, Quad

QuadSevens said...

2 pitches for a flyout. Nice!

Steve Sax said...

Almonte escapes!

Steve Sax said...

9-1 LA through seven. Giants strand three runners with none out.

Steve Sax said...

If Muncy can get a hit in his next AB, he will be over Mendoza for the first time in a LOOOOOOONG time.

Steve Sax said...

Vesia’s ERA drops below 10!

Steve Sax said...

Vargas taps back to the pitcher for the third out.

9-1 LA, mid-8

Steve Sax said...

Not sure why Doc brought in Andre Jackson for the last out of the eighth, but it worked. He strikes out Crawford for the third out, right after Almonte hit Villar to put him on first.

9-1 LA

Steve Sax said...

Jackson cleans up the ninth inning 1-2-3

WIN

QuadSevens said...

If you haven’t seen Muncy’s postgame interview with Kirsten, go find it. It’s great!

Steve Sax said...

This one?

(At least Kirsten didn't ask Max how he feeeeeeeeeeels.)

QuadSevens said...

Yup! Loved what he said about SF. Thought it was funny!

QuadSevens said...

GAME 2

Betts RF
Freeman 1B
Smith C
Martinez DH
Thompson CF
Vargas 2B
Taylor 3B
Outman LF
Rojas SS

May P

QuadSevens said...

On Twitter I’ve seen some people really don’t like Kirsten. I haven’t noticed her being that bad.

Steve Sax said...

Chris Taylor has gotten so bad. Ks with one out and runners on.

Steve Sax said...

It was Joc Pederson who gave the Giants the 2-0 lead.

We are still down

QuadSevens said...

1-2-3 2nd inning for Pennywise.

Steve Sax said...

Dammit Chris Taylor sucks!!!

QuadSevens said...

We’re back on the crappy side of the run pendulum.

Steve Sax said...

Just like the giants yesterday, we had bases loaded with none out, and we can’t score a single run. Pathetic.

Steve Sax said...

I’m so mad.

Chris Taylor sucks.

Max Muncy breaks out yesterday in a field he owns against a team he dominates. And Doc sits him tonight.

Bases loaded, none out: and we can’t score.

What the fuck.

Steve Sax said...

Next morning. And I’m still angry

QuadSevens said...

GAME 3

MUNCY OWNS THE GNATS!! ����

QuadSevens said...

Two HRs for Muncy! 8-3 Dodgers in the 6th.

Steve Sax said...

Now THIS is more like it!

10-3 LA on the Trayce Thompson 2-run HR, T7

Steve Sax said...

WIN