NLDS Game 5 Thread: Oct. 15 vs. Mets, 5p

Forever dreamy...
(Thanks again to @ThkBleu for capturing the defining image of this season.)
Donald Zachary "Spongeworthy" Greinke (19-3, 1.66) vs. Jacob "Cut yer hair, hippie!" deGrom (14-8, 2.54)

🎶 They're Greinke and deGrom, Yes, Greinke and deGrom, One is a genius, The other's deGrom! 🎶 https://t.co/Tr9qbfor73

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) October 14, 2015

Well, everyone, we made it through Game 4. Rallying cries were answered, narratives were destroyed, pants were shat. But guess what? We get to do it allllll over again tonight.

Last time, we turned to The Bard for some inspiration. This time, we turn to the man who carries our hopes and dreams with him to the mound, Mr. Zack Greinke. I combed through Molly Knight's excellent tale of the last two Dodgers seasons, "The Best Team Money Can Buy", to find a moving and powerful quote from our beloved co-ace:

“Some of you guys have been doing the number two and not washing your hands. It’s not good. I noticed it even happening earlier today. So if you guys could just be better about it, that would be great.”

Thank you, sir! A more rousing speech has never been uttered anywhere. Victory is within our reach. Let's make sure we have clean hands when we grab it.

--

OK, OK, if you're in need of genuine inspiration, you might want to note that today is the 27th anniversary of something pretty good...



--

I'll end this GT with a brief personal aside. On Tuesday night, after the Dodgers survived to fight another day, my wife and I were listening to songs by the seminal '70s/'80s L.A. band Sparks. Their song "All You Ever Think About is Sex" came on, and I screamed when I heard the following verse:

Say, do you remember
The Dodgers and the Mets?
Fifty thousand people
Saw us and turned red

Dodgers and the Mets? 50,000 people? Turned red? Like Red Turn? Justin Turner? Huh? Huh?

I don't really believe in signs, but if I did...

Interesting Observation About The Upcoming LCS / World Series

No matter who wins today's Dodgers-Mets game, all of the remaining 2015 MLB games will have a lot of the color blue on the field and in the stands.

Do not adjust your television set.

NLDS Game 4 Thread: Oct. 13 @ Mets, 5pm

Clayton Kershaw (16-7, 2.13) vs. Steven Matz (4-0, 2.27)

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our Dodger injured.
In peace there's nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage;
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;
Let pry through the portage of the head
Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it
As fearfully as doth a galled rock
O'erhang and jutty his confounded base,
Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide,
Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit
To his full height. On, on, you noblest Dodgers.
Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof!
Fathers that, like so many Sandys,
Have in these parts from morn till even fought
And sheathed their swords for lack of argument:
Dishonour not your mothers; now attest
That those whom you call'd fathers did beget you.
Be copy now to men of grosser blood,
And teach them how to war. And you, good yeoman,
Whose limbs were made in Chavez Ravine, show us here
The mettle of your pasture; let us swear
That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;
For there is none of you so mean and base,
That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Clayton, Los Angeles, and Saint Vin!'

tl;dr version: LET'S DO THIS!

NLDS Game 1 Thread: Mets @ Dodgers, 6.30p

Clayton Kershaw (16-7, 2.13) vs. Jacob deGrom (14-8, 2.54).

After almost a week of waiting, this is IT. The weight of past postseason shortcomings, on the shoulders of our three-time Cy Young Award winner and reigning National League MVP. The pressure of a first postseason appearance on the pulse of the 2014 NL Rookie of the Year. The hangover from nightmare NLDS' past, tightening any Dodger fan's sphincter to total constipation.

Let's get this party started. Let's grab the first of 11 wins, starting tonight!

Mattingly on NLDS photo: Chris Carlson / AP

UPDATE FROM SOSG AC: Let's do this.

Other LDS Games Thread: October 9, 2015

Rangers (Cole Hamels, 13-8, 3.65) @ Blue Jays (Marcus Stroman, 4-0, 1.67). Rangers won Game 1; Game 2 is already 3-3 in the second inning.

Astros (Scott Kazmir, 7-11, 3.10) @ Royals (Johnny Cueto, 11-13, 3.44). Astros are up 1-0 on this series.

Cubs (Jon Lester, 11-12, 3.34) @ Cardinals (John Lackey, 13-10, 2.77). We probably won't even care about this one given the BIGGER game is later tonight.

(HEART)BREAKING: Vin Scully To Miss Postseason

ANGUISH! DESPAIR!

Vin Scully 'resting comfortably' after medical procedure, will miss postseason http://t.co/arHS5cxTkX pic.twitter.com/WwXLUYJHia

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) October 8, 2015

We wish you a speedy recovery, Mr. Scully, sir. Your voice will be sorely missed this postseason.

Now, Dodgers, more than ever:

Original Win For Vin art by Mike Brown of TheLFP.com.

Watching the Playoffs Sans Cable

• How to Watch the MLB Playoffs Online without Cable (2015 Edition) (CutCableToday.com)

We heard from Chris, "Mr. Cable Cutter," from Cut Cable Today:

I run the website CutCableToday.com where I'm obsessed with freeing readers from the shackles of cable. I'm particularly focused on making sure they are aware of the legal streaming options available to watch their favorite TV shows, live sports, etc. Nothing sketchy, just the legit stuff. We've been featured on USA Today, TechCrunch, Engadget, MSN and others.

Thanks, MCC!

2015 NL Wild Card Game Thread: Cubs @ Pirates

Jake Arietta (22-6, 1.77) vs. Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60).

The Pirates were here last year, and choked to the Giants, allowing the evil ones to start yet another improbable ascent. This year, you've gotta think about this as which one is going to be a better foil for the Cardinals (Cubs were 8-11 vs. St. Louis this year; Pirates were 9-10). Both teams wield a nice underdog storyline, so I'm on the fence for this one.

Glanville, Kahrl, and Padilla Jump On Dodgers Bandwagon

Jumping on the Dodgers bandwagon, along with Aaron Boone, are ESPN.com colleagues Doug Glanville, Christina Kahrl, and Doug Padilla. All four of them have picked the Dodgers to win the 2015 World Series.

The Toronto Blue Jays were the trendy pick, with 12 of the 23 ESPN pundits selecting them as World Series winners.

Bear in mind, only Adrian Virk had picked the Dodgers six months ago, out of 14 pundits. Virk has since changed to the Blue Jays.

GM Zaidi Confident in Mattingly; Alanna Rizzo, Not So Much

First let's start with the story: Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi gave Dodgers manager Don Mattingly a vote of some confidence recently:

"We're looking at games that are going to be tight, going to be low scoring," general manager Farhan Zaidi said. "So you're looking for a manager that is going to be able to handle the pressure and handle the personalities and the added pressure of the postseason." [...]

"His preparation has been tremendous. We spend some time with him before every game. We see how thorough he is," Zaidi said. "In every other industry, being a manager is managing people. In this industry we think it's just X's and O's. But the reality is, you're being a manager like you would manage a business, but you also have to make X's and O's decisions."

One advantage for the Dodgers is home-field advantage for the first round. Los Angeles tied St. Louis for the best home record at 55-26, and the Dodgers have had their road struggles, posting a 37-44 record.

While Mattingly will take the heat or earn the credit for the Dodgers' success or failure, Zaidi doesn't subscribe to the idea that all the credit or blame should be put on the manager.

"If you're going to tell me that the team's success is solely driven by the manager, I just don't think that's how it works," Zaidi said. "Managers make strategic decisions, but a lot of the decisions they make are 52-48 or 55-45."

Look, I defintely think Mattingly's strategic decisions, or lack thereof, have caused us a game or two or five. And from the look on her face, Alanna Rizzo is with me on this one:

John Wooden used to say, "Failure to prepare is preparing to fail." Let's hope Mattingly's preparation pays off this postseason.

Very Belated AL Wild Card Game Thread: Astros @ Yankees, hours ago

Sorry about this. We're asleep today at SoSG World Headquarters.

It's 2-0 Houston in the top of the sixth.