Tuesday, October 08, 2024

2024 NLDS Game 3 Thread

Walker Buehler (1-6, 5.38) vs. Michael King (13-9, 2.95), 6p.

Time, as it is said, heals all wounds.

I write this post 24 hours after I was at Dodger Stadium to witness probably the worst playoff loss, if not the worst-ever loss, suffered by the Dodgers...and I have to say, the pain has subsided a bit.

Some of this is a situational comparison, made possible by watching the two ALDS games play out on Monday. As of Tuesday morning, all four 2024 Division Series are tied. Which means all four series go to best-of-three series, held in the lesser seeds' parks: in San Diego, New York, Detroit, and Kansas City.

So for all the Dodgers' many foibles in Game 2: their unlucky GIDPs, their just-short home run balls, a spate of mediocre at bats from key players, their inappropriate fans chucking shit on the field like idiots--we are in exactly the same boat as the Yankees, the Phillies, and the Guardians.

In fact, of the 16 Division Series starters so far, only five of them have gone more than five innings, and that includes Dodgers Game 2 starter Jack Flaherty (5.1 IP), who unfortunately faced off against Yu Darvish, who tied the Dodgers up in knots for seven innings, escaping the few jams into which he got. So every team is highly reliant upon its bullpen.

That's baseball in 2024.

And to be fair to Dave Roberts: his use of the bullpen in Game 1 was a master class (SoSG Orel and I talked about this in Game 2, since there was nothing on the field worth discussing), with brilliant moves like bringing Michael Kopech in for the eighth inning--and then pulling Kopech early, causing Blake Treinen to have to get five outs to win the game (which he did). Treinen capped six innings of scoreless relief for the Dodgers in Game 1.

Conversely, the bullpen let the game get out of hand late in Sunday's game (six runs in the last two frames), but we were cooked by then anyway, with Freddie Freeman already on the bench. This Game 2 loss wasn't on Doc.

One could make the argument that the Dodgers are in a relatively worse state than their top-seeded peers, and it's a fair opinion. We're throwing Walker Buehler, who has had more trouble finding a strike zone than most men finding a g-spot. Mookie Betts was close to a first-inning HR on Monday, but he is still on a 0-for-26 playoff streak and has only 3 XBH since our World Series Championship in 2020 (78 AB, 92 PA). Freddie Freeman's ankle is hanging on with duct tape and popsicle sticks.

Not to mention, we're going to face a hostile Petco Park environment, against the Padres' best arm. It doesn't look good for the Dodgers in Game 3.

Let's see if we can punch back.

43 comments:

karen said...

I hope I feel better about this game before it starts, but so far not so much. Our Boys need to keep it together and not get pulled in by anything Friar. Not their team's antics and not the their fans bad behavior. Focus on playing 'their' game and not waver from it at any time. When it's all said and done we are still the better team and the class of the National League. Let's Gooooo!

Steve Sax said...

I’m strangely feeling good this morning, esp seeing how Roberts handled the issue of Machado throwing a ball at him in the dugout between innings.

karen said...

I love that Doc said that the Friars wanted to be seen as the bad boys and villain's. All the more reason to kick their asses.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

In my time of need there is no other place I’d rather be than right here. That loss on Sunday was brutal! I was at the yard too Saxy and witnessed it all first hand. If not for the heavenly pipes of Julian Torres serenading Chavez Ravine in between innings, the entire evening would’ve been a bust. That guy was amazing! I wonder if he can hit a baseball?

I’m feeling good about tonight’s game. Let’s go blue!!!

karen said...

Special shout out to STEVE SAX for somehow incorporating the g-spot into a game thread about Game 3 in the NLDS. :) :) :)

Steve Sax said...

Good to see you, DBT!

Yeah Torres has pipes! But I have to say, I don’t recall being at a mariachi-featured playoff game and seeing the Dodgers win that game. 🤔 someone should check the archives on this

Steve Sax said...

@karen: thanks for the kind words on the write up!

spank said...

bring back the Sym-phony!

spank said...

break up this team and fire Roberts if the Dodgers get swept at petco. i wont watch another game til my terms are met. sack up!

Steve Sax said...

Grove to IL, Casparius takes his place. Grove now ineligible for the NLCS

karen said...

NLDS GAME 3

Shohei Ohtani DH
Mookie Betts RF
Freddie Freeman 1B
T Hernandez LF
Max Muncy 3B
Will Smith C
Gavin Lux 2B
Tommy Edman CF
Miguel Rojas SS

Walker Buehler RHP

Steve Sax said...

Thanks Karen!!!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Good to see Freddie back in there. Hope he got some of that good Tijuana pain killer to get him through nine innings!

karen said...

Machado threw a ball into the Dodgers dugout meant for Dave Roberts. Flashbacks of Carlos Correa, King of the gangsters. Those low lifes in the opposing dugout were taking pictures of themselves in the dugout during the game. I know you're not much San Diego but try your best to be a little classy, though it's probably not possible for your ilk.

Steve Sax said...

Mets beat Nola. What is happening here

spank said...

bring it!

Steve Sax said...

I’m out for the first part of this game, have to cook dinner. Let’s go!

spank said...

Mookie!!

karen said...

You had your ONE

Steve Sax said...

Let’s go MOOKIE!!!!

QuadSevens said...

Fielding is killing us again!

karen said...

I hope everyone is aware that once again The Padre Organization has blocked Dodger fans from purchasing tickets to any game at Petco. I guess they're afraid to have us there to watch our team.

Steve Sax said...

Oh no.

QuadSevens said...

This game got ugly fast.

spank said...

i.guess.i picked the wrong time to stop doing heroin

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Ugh...

QuadSevens said...

Three infield hits, at least 4 extra outs given, horrible. 6-1 not us.

spank said...

no excuses. the front office went all in on broken down arms for the pitching staff and this is the payout.

karen said...

TEO!!!!

QuadSevens said...

DUDE!

spank said...

fuck yeah teo!!

Steve Sax said...

Let’s go Teoscar!!!

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

We got ourselves a ballgame!!!

spank said...

we need to get a run here. gotta take advantage of Buehler shutting them down these last innings

spank said...

muncy is not good

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

Muncy needs to snap out of it. One legged Freddie is making better contact right now.

spank said...

fucking shohei. strikeout king

QuadSevens said...

Gonna need to get it done against the closer.

Steve Sax said...

Muncy, Smith, and Lux in the ninth. Muncy is batting .182 with a meaningless solo HR in Game 2; Smith doesn't have a hit yet this series. Lux is 0-for-3 tonight but at least he's batting .300.

spank said...

here we go kiddos.

Steve Sax said...

When is Will Smith going to fucking get a hit

QuadSevens said...

Well shit.

spank said...

.smh