Okay, I'm Salty Again

I asked Siri "When are the Dodgers next playing, in Sydney?" And this was her response:

Not cool, Siri. Not cool.

UPDATE: Oh yeah, that's right. I feel a bit better now.

Scoreboard Watching: World Series Game 4: Red-Themed Team vs. Red-Themed Team, 5p

Obstruction? Or a choke job?

Clay Buchholz (12-1, 1.74) vs. Lance Lynn (15-10, 3.97).

The Cardinals won last night's game with the most curious of walk-offs: an obstruction, caused by Will Middlebrooks on Allen Craig at third base. The call was controversial at first because it appeared that Middlebrooks, prone at third base, might have deliberately lifted his legs to impede Craig's progress; however, the obstruction rule has nothing to do with intent, so count the run anyway once Craig tripped over the Red Sox 3B.

And let's be serious: Jarrod Saltalamacchia never should have tried that throw to get Craig at third base in the first place. If he doesn't throw the ball wide of third, 0-for-4 Pete Kozma comes up for the final out. And if Woody had gone to the police, this would never have happened. (We could also point the finger at other questionable managerial missteps in the game.)

So today's game becomes either a continuation of what is being stretched as a "Gibson-like moment", or just another obstacle for the Red Sox Machine to overcome on their unstoppable path. Either way, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver will be there to call it. So my television will be on mute.

Scoreboard Watching: Arrogant vs. Conceited (World Series Game 1), 4.30p

I'll let you figure out which is which.

Adam Wainwright (19-9. 2.94) vs. Jon Lester (15-8, 3.75).

"Our thoughts are now focused on bringing the world championship to Los Angeles in 2014"

On the back page of today's LA Times sports section:

6.7 on Richter Scale; Tsunami Warning on East Coast

NLCS Game 6 Thread: Oct. 18 @ Cards, 5:30p

Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 0.00) vs. Michael Wacha (1-0, 0.00)

So...what's left to say? Zack Greinke and the suddenly-powerful bats bought us one more game. We know Kershaw's ready. We know Ethier's...something. If the bats from Game 5 made the trip to St. Louis, then maybe we can keep this crazy show running.

There is the little matter of this:

Hanley Ramirez out of the #Dodgers lineup today. Nick Punto at shortstop.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) October 18, 2013

Then again, it's been pretty clear from the last two games that Hanley just can't go. If he saves all of his mojo for one key AB, that might be the best use for him now.

Clench your butts, grab your drinks, and enjoy your anxiety, everyone, because...

Game Face

If you all are as nervous as I am - confident, but nonetheless nervous - you need an outlet. Please use this space as a place to get out that nervousness and likely aggressiveness. Have a drink here or burn a mattress. Get it out of your system. We'll need our collective focus later tonight.

Scoreboard Watching: ALCS Game 5 (Oct. 17, 2013) 5p

Anibal Sanchez (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Jon Lester (0-1, 1.42 ERA)

With the Boys in Blue on a travel day to St. Louis, we do have one playoff game to track today. Red Sox look to rebound from their ass-whuppin' yesterday in what figures to be another great pitching matchup. Series is 2-2 now, so this is a crucial game before the series moves back to Boston.

Let's enjoy this game before the pressure mounts tomorrow in another do-or-die for the Dodgers.

We Got This

Enough said. Go get 'em, Clay.

Photo: @Dodgers

NLCS Game 5 Thread: Oct. 16 vs. Cards, 1p

Left to Right: Nick Punto, Mark Ellis, AJ Ellis;

Foreground: Zack Greinke

Zack Greinke (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Joe Kelly (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Indeed, it's do or die today. Win or go home. Well, I guess the team already is at home. So, it's win or don't go back to St. Louis. Which most other situations would be a clear choice.

We have to get 'em today, boys and girls. SoSG faithful snarker PaulJ is at the Yard trying to bring some good mojo with his playoff beard. Let's channel the Blue to him.

Oh, and if we're going to lose, let's at least stick Kelly in the ribs just so we'll have a little something to enjoy for the off season.

image: Maverick Entertainment

Please Throw At Joe Kelly Tonight

Hanley Ramirez' fractured rib is unfortunately going to be the fulcrum for this series, the turning point for the Dodgers' storybook 2013 season. We could survive injuries to Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier and even Ted Lilly (just wanted to see if you were awake there!), but Ramirez' loss is just too great. And though I credit Ramirez for sacking up in NLCS Game 3, watching him wince in Game 4 made me hugry for vengeance:

Ramirez said team trainers were trying to remove him from Game 4 in the early innings but he insisted on remaining in the game.

"I was like, 'No, I gotta stay in, I gotta stay in,'" he said. "But I got to a point where I just had to go and come in [to the clubhouse] to get treatment." Clearly not himself at the plate, the slugging shortstop struck out three times.

There is nothing the team can do for the injury, Ramirez said, except manage the pain with steam, ice, ultrasound equipment and acupuncture. He said leaving the game was not an easy decision for him.

"We were back in the game with men on base, and it looked like we would tie it," Ramirez said. "But they took me out early so I could get treatment and try to come back tomorrow."

The Dodgers are a different team without Ramirez in their lineup, and losing him has been a devastating blow to their offense. Ramirez's 1.040 OPS led the NL this season and was good enough for the second-highest mark in baseball behind Miguel Cabrera (1.078). He pounded out six extra-base hits in the NL Division Series, which tied a Dodgers franchise record for a postseason series.

The 29-year-old battled a multitude of injuries this season and played in only 86 games. He hit .345 and still finished second on the Dodgers in home runs with 20.

Asked how frustrated he is that this injury might sideline him for the team's most important game of the season Wednesday, Ramirez shook his head and sighed.

"It took a lot of work to get where we are right now, and to just have this one thing [being hit by the pitch]," he said. "It makes me very angry.

"[Wednesday] I'm gonna come back and expect to see my name in the lineup, but it's gonna be hard," he said. "It's gonna be hard. I'm gonna try to play. I'm gonna go back to my house and get some rest and try to be ready to go."

Dammit.

At-Game Recap: NLCS Game 4 / Before The Disappointment

AC sent these pictures over from the game last night. The first two look fine enough but given the third one, it was destined that there was going to be heartburn at the Stadium, one way or another.

Post-NLCS Game 4 Thread: The Nutshot Strikes Back

CARDINALS 4, DODGERS 2

Ricky Nolasco rolled through his first inning of work with six pitches. His next inning allowed a baserunner but then he got out of it.

But in the third inning, the things came off the rails, capped by a two-run shot deep to left off the bat of Matt Holliday, 2009 Dodgers NLCS hero. After years of doing NOTHING in Dodger Stadium, off of Ricky Nolasco, Holliday finally got lucky.

Holliday's HR proved to be the difference in a game where the Dodgers just couldn't get anything started at the plate. Juan Uribe was swinging early but not often; his 0-for-4 tonight has him batting .118. Hanley Ramirez looked pained with each swing in his 0-for-3 night, and you can hardly blame the guy with a fractured rib. Yasiel Puig kept it rolling: 2-for-3 with an RBI, but a key GIDP in the ninth inning to erase Andre Ethier's leadoff single, the Dodgers' last chance for a comeback.

Like all the other games in this series, the Dodgers outhit their opponent (8 to 6), but lost. And our RISP was mediocre (2-for-6), but St. Louis' was worse (2-for-10). And yet, the Cardinals won and took a 3-1 lead in the NLCS.

Disgusting and sad outcome this evening, but take some solace: the Cardinals were up 3-1 in the NLCS on an NL West team last year, as well. And we all know how that one turned out.

image swiped from here

NLCS Game 4 Thread: Oct. 15 vs. Cards, 5p

Ricky Nolasco (0-0, -.--) vs. Lance Lynn (1-0, 0.00)

Well, Ricky, after you lost that number, you finally get the call. You probably have a lot on your mind right now. Your first playoff game ever. It's in front of your hometown crowd. It's a pivotal Game 4. You haven't pitched since the first Bush was in office. No pressure!

The team is loose and energized. Hanley and Ethier are back in the lineup again. Let's get this one tonight and hand Greinke a 2-2 series tomorrow!

We just couldn't bear it if you lost.


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Photo: Getty Images.

Post-NLCS Game 3 Thread: Dodgers Bear Injuries, Find Ryu of Sunshine

And this was only the second or third weirdest thing that happened last night.
DODGERS 3, CARDINALS 0

We knew this was a must-win game, but it also needed to be a must-enjoy game. After a 13-inning slog and a feeble shutout, the Dodgers desperately needed a shot of life, and man, did they get it.

First up, Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ryu struggled mightily in his lone NLDS start (something he chalked up to nerves, not injuries), so it was hard to predict what we'd get out of him. Turns out, we got seven innings of 3-hit, 4 K, shutout ball. We'll take it, and then some!

Again, though, the pitching has not been the problem this series. Coming into the game, the Dodgers had gone 19 innings without scoring a run. The streak extended to 22, when Adam WhineWainwright looked to be his typical self after three. Then, in the fourth, Mark Ellis doubled to lead off the inning. Mattingly resisted bunting with Hanley at the plate, but a flyout did move Ellis over to third. Finally, Adrian Gonzalez ripped a double to right, scoring Ellis and ending the drought. Adrian celebrated at second base, irritating Wainwright and the best fans in baseball.

GIF by Chad Moriyama
Speaking of celebrations, two batters later, Yasiel Puig became the first player in recent memory to pimp a home run and celebrate a triple in the same at bat. Puig's long drive to right missed being a home run into the right field seats by only about five inches to the left. When he realized it wasn't going out, he switched on the gas and made it to third without a throw. (AGon scored.)

That seemed like it would be enough for how Ryu was pitching, but they added one more in the eighth when the ailing, but still willing Hanley Ramirez deposited a dunker past second, scoring Carl Crawford (channeling Puig-like speed) from second. (Andre Ethier also gutted out his injury, but went 0-4.)

Brian Wilson nailed down the eighth, Kenley Jansen closed up shop, and the Dodgers found themselves right back in it, alive and kicking.

And oh yeah, that bear. Like I said, it was only the second or third weirdest thing that happened last night, and that was because A.J. Ellis hit a triple.

NLCS Game 3 Thread: Oct. 14 vs. Cards, 5p

I have the strangest feeling we've been through this exact same thing before.
Hyun-Jin Ryu (0-0, 0.00) vs. Adam Wainwright (0-0, 0.00)

Steve McCroskey: Jacobs, I want to know absolutely everything that's happened up till now.

Jacobs: Well, let's see. First the earth cooled. And then the dinosaurs came, but they got too big and fat, so they all died and they turned into oil. And then the Arabs came and they bought Mercedes Benzes. And then the Dodgers lost two straight 1-run NLCS games started by Cy Young winners. I couldn't believe it.

Well, here we are. The Dodgers are hurtling into the sun, and only Hyun-Jin Ryu can save us.

Hope you brought your hitting shoes, Ryu, since pitching hasn't been the problem. We know now that Hanley Ramirez suffered a hairline rib fracture on that Game 1 pitch from Joe Kelly. (THANKS, JOE!) Somehow, Hanley is still a "game time decision". Yasiel Puig has been MIA. Andre Ethier is still working out a wobbly ankle. And Adrian Gonzalez can't get any pitches to hit without any lineup protection.

Maybe, just maybe, a raucous L.A. crowd will infuse some life into this team and they can pull out a win. I hope so, because I'm not ready to be over Macho Grande.

UPDATE (2:32pm): Hanley is playing tonight.

"I owe too much to this team and this city (not to play)." -Hanley Ramirez

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 14, 2013

Dodgers tickets*

*Suddenly VERY cheap. I wonder why.

Postseason Margins Can Be Slim

How close was Torii Hunter to catching @DavidOrtiz's grand slam? This close: pic.twitter.com/RHDAlUXQfx

— MLB (@MLB) October 14, 2013

It's a New Dawn, It's a New Day

...and I'm feeling good. Mostly thanks to this image. (Despite its lack of drop shadow and proper capitalization.)


Image: Found in the comments on MSTI. Photographer (and person who added the quote) unknown. Anyone? Per Ernest Reyes, it may have first appeared on Reddit.

MLB Aiming Toward Giving Fox That Detroit - St. Louis World Series It Covets

CARDINALS 1, DODGERS 0
TIGERS 1, RED SOX 0

NLCS Game 2 Thread: Oct. 12 @ Cards, 1p

"Help us, Clayton Kershaw, you're our only hope."

"Seriously, dude, we're in a total jam here."

"WHAT WAS DONNIE THINKING? All right, all right, calm down. It's not his fault we were 1 for 10 with RISP. Beer me, Artoo."

Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 0.00) vs. Michael Wacha (0-0, 0.00).

While not technically an elimination game, for us panicky Dodger fans today's game is a real okole squeezer. But if anyone's going to lead us through this mess, it's Matt Kemp Clayton Kershaw, who can probably earn an extra $100 million on his contract by winning today ($200 million if he hits the go-ahead homer like on opening day).

Maybe a day game following a night game is the best way to clear our palates, so prepare for the jump to lightspeed, never tell me the odds, and always let the Wookiee win!

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