Post-World Series Game 7 Thread: Absolute Sadness

This did not go the way we thought.
Astros 5, Dodgers 1

Absolute sadness.

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) November 2, 2017

We're used to the Dodgers' season ending poorly. This pain, in general, isn't new. What's new is the added pain of how close they got. One game away. Five runs away. One fewer batter faced by Darvish away. One missed tag-up call away. One Kenley Jansen 0-2 pitch away. One ump's thigh away. One Cody Bellinger flyout away.

So. Damn. Close.

We'll second-guess this one all winter. In the big picture, the stars of this team failed A LOT in this World Series, but they still somehow stretched it to seven games. Your unlikely heroes, your Jocs, your Culbersons, your Woods, your Kikés, picked this team up and damn near carried them over the finish line.

That's the kind of stuff I'll choose to remember. The pure joy on Joc's face as he rounded the bases. The pure joy on OUR faces as the Sons celebrated Game 4's win together. And, lost in all this, is the fact that the Dodgers MADE IT BACK TO THE WORLD SERIES. That drought is over. Like the Royals before them, the Dodgers' championship drought should be the next thing to go.

It's going to be a cold, sad winter full of coulda-shouldas, but we'll be here, doing what we do. And we'll still be here this time next year, too, with a better-than-zero chance of celebrating.

I can't wait.

Post-World Series Game 5 Thread: Out of Gas

ASTROS 13, DODGERS 12 (10)

Do you have those dreams where you're trying to execute a basic task and somehow it becomes the biggest struggle in the world? I've dreamt that I'm trying to make a simple phone call yet my hands are moving like they're underwater and I keep punching the wrong numbers.

That's how watching Game 5 felt — in the late innings the Dodgers staged multiple miraculous comebacks to tie the game over and over yet they couldn't quite get over the hump and take the lead. Of course, the Astros seemed to take advantage of every opportunity they created.

I don't know how Dave Roberts does it, or the Dodger players for that matter. Five hours of YES NO YES NO AAAUGH JESUS and these guys are just playing the game like the professionals they are. And keeping their heads! — scoring eight runs from the 5th inning on.

I do know baseball pundits are calling this game one for the ages, but Dodger fans will remember this game as the one where Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen plain ran out of gas. The Dodgers staked Kershaw to a four-run lead and he ended up giving up six runs, all earned, and exiting in the 5th.

Kenley, in his second inning of work and needing just one more out to put the game into the 11th inning, went HBP, walk, single to give the Astros the win.

But we need to recognize the offensive heroes: Seager and Barnes had an RBI apiece; Bellinger had 4 RBIs, including a 3-run HR in the 5th; Puig hit a 2-run HR in the 9th and Taylor tied it up at 12 with an RBI single with the Dodgers down to their last strike.

Alas, it's the pitching that worries. Kershaw, toast. Kenley...toasty. Brandon Morrow talked his way into the game and gave up four runs in six pitches. If Rich Hill doesn't basically have perfecto stuff tomorrow, it's over. (Although if we somehow manage to force a Game 7, I like our chances with a rested Darvish.)

So: Get some rest, eat your Wheaties and join us tomorrow for one, or two, last game(s). And remember...

After five hours of not breathing, we have taken a breath and will say this:

WE GONNA CHEER FOR THE DODGERS LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER ON TUESDAY.

— Sons of Steve Garvey (@sosgsosg) October 30, 2017

Post-World Series Game 4 Thread: Yes, We Like That

DODGERS 6, ASTROS 2

What. Just. Happened.

The Dodgers rose like a phoenix from the bitter ashes of Games 2 and 3 to win Game 4 in resounding fashion and tie the World Series at 2 games apiece.

The big hero 6 of the game was Alex Wood, who gave the Dodgers almost six innings when the bullpen's collective arm was hanging by a thread. And not only did Wood hold the Astros scoreless for 5 2/3 innings, he held them hitless too. A solo home run by George Springer ended both streaks, but thanks to Wood the Dodgers were in a position to do some damage.

Cody Bellinger had been having a miserable World Series, whiffing more than Midlife Crisis Dude at a college bar, but he finally finally finally finally finally finally got off the schneid with a double off starter Charlie Morton in the 7th. Logie Bear singled him in with two out and the game was tied again. Phew.

After Brandon Morrow, Chris Devenski and Tony Watson all did their jobs, the soft underbelly of the Astros' bullpen presented itself in the form of Ken Giles. The same Ken Giles who surrendered two runs in Game 2. Bellinger doubled again (!), scoring Corey Hotline and giving the Dodgers the lead...the first time they led since the end of Game 2.

The Astros plugged in Joe Buck mancrush Joe Musgrove but the results were the same and/or worse. Austin Barnes sac'd home another run and then Joc Pederson lowered the BOOM goes the cannon/watch the blood and the shit spray! His three-run high-hack HR gave the Dodgers a 6-1 cushion for Kenley Jansen...who promptly served up a dinger to Alex Bregman but escaped otherwise unscathed.

So when we think of all the big names we expect to carry us, the Kershaws and Darvishes and JTs and Coreys, today's game reminds us that the Woods and Pedersons of the world will play their role if the Dodgers are to achieve World Series nirvana.

Two more wins, mofos.

Post-World Series Game 3 Thread: The Disaster Artists

HOU 5, LAD 3

I'm not sure what happened on the flight from L.A. to Houston — measles outbreak? Snakes on a plane? — but the Dodgers turned in their worst postseason performance on the biggest of stages.

Yu Darvish collapsed into a puddle of goo, allowing four runs in 1 2/3 innings. Lance McCullers kindly loaded the bases in the top of the 3rd, and Corey Seager swung on the third pitch he saw into a double play.

Tony Watson and Justin Turner each brought errors to the potluck horror show and somewhere in there Yasiel Puig ran a sure single into an out at second base.

And we only lost by two runs.

On the plus side, Kenta Maeda and Ross Stripling (!) were great in relief — but even that has a downside since they probably won't be available tomorrow.

The September Dodgers showed up tonight. The team better ship those assholes somewhere far away or there won't be much more October left.

Post-World Series Game 2 Thread: That was fuckin awesome, then it blew, then it rocked then everything fucking sucked

Pfffffft that's all I got. Fuck.

Post-NLCS Game 3 Thread: Dave Roberts Is A Genius, But SoSG Sax Deserves Credit For The Win

Darvish At The Bat

When the lineup for NLCS Game 3 was posted, I have to admit I thought Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts was nuts.

Cody Bellinger batting second so Puig could bat cleanup Andre Ethier, in his first start this postseason, batting fifth? Chase Utley, in his second start this season, batting sixth? Joc Pederson, who didn't even make the NLDS roster, batting eighth? What the hell is going on here?

And sure enough, all of Roberts' crazy moves paid off. Well, almost all of them: Ethier went 2-for-4 with a HR, and protected Puig, who went 2-for-5; Pederson went 1-for-3 with a run scored after hitting a double; only Utley went 0-for-3 and is hitless in this postaseaon.

But even the Utley thing could be tolerated (not only because we're down an infielder, with Corey Seager out for the NLCS), when Dave Roberts had the tactical cojones to bat Yu Darvish for himself in the top of the sixth, with two out and the bases loaded. Instead of substituting a pinch hitter, Roberts sent Darvish up to the plate. Darvish was 1-for-17 lifetime (.059 BA) with 14Ks. Darvish has a career OPS+ of 8. Darvish has one total base in his entire career.

But Darvish did some crazy bunt-feigning mime act up there at the plate, and on four straight pitches, Cubs pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. walked Darvish. The Dodgers stretched a 3-1 lead to a 4-1 lead with the bases-loaded walk, and from then on, Wrigley Field (to quote a tweet from Alanna Rizzo) quickly became a morgue.

Charlie Culberson was at the plate when, after feebly striking out, he watched Cubs catcher Wilson Contreras lose the ball of his bicep (that's why they give catchers that big glove, by the way) and scampered to first to extend the inning, allowing Logan Forsythe to score. Kyle Farmer, he of the 20 AB across his full career, came in to pinch hit and had a sac fly to score Austin Barnes and make it 6-1 LA.

Unbelievable, this Roberts guy. Every move he makes seems to yield dividends.

IN DOC WE TRUST.

But the unsung hero of this game, however, was not Darvish and his game-winning line (6.1 IP, 1 ER, 7 Ks and 1 BB, and 1 RBI), nor Chris Taylor and his HR + triple night, nor even Roberts the genius himself.

No, that honor goes to me, and here's why.

Up 6-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Roberts went to Ross Stripling, who gave up the bullpen's first hit this whole NLCS and got into trouble when Alex Avila singled and Albert Almora Jr. followed with a ground-rule double that got stuck in the Wrigley ivy. The Chicago crowd started to stir. A HR from Addison Russell would make it 6-4 with none out.

Roberts, wisely, went to Kenley Jansen.

SoSG Sax, even more wisely, moved from the large living room television back to the smaller kitchen television, where the first eight innings of the game were watched and where the Dodgers were rolling.

Clearly, the change in television and room choices at the start of the ninth inning was not working for the Dodgers. So, sure, Jansen came in and got Russell to pop to first, and then Tommy La Stella and Ian Happ to strike out, ending the game. But the move back to the kitchen, when Stripling exited and Jansen entered, was a critical move and a tactical stroke of brilliance that will be discussed in history books forever more. Yeah, Roberts and Jansen had something to do with the Dodgers' preserving the victory, putting the team up 3-0 in the NLCS.

But we all know who really won the game last night for us.

The Morning After: Post- Post-NLCS Game 2 Thread: Selected Press

On anniversary of Gibson's blast, it's a Turner classic in Game 2 for Dodgers (Bill Plaschke, LAT, 10/15/17):

It is, indeed, the first walk-off homer of his major-league career. It happened just before 8 p.m. at Chavez Ravine, bottom of the ninth, game tied at 1-all, Dodgers on first and second base and an entire stadium holding its breath. Turner dug into the second pitch from the Cubs’ John Lackey and just blasted it. More than 50,000 fans immediately stood as if they knew it was gone. Turner watched it sail, and sail, and, just before reaching first base, stuck out those arms as he could fly.

Chavez Ravine rattled and rocked and swayed with a deafening roar. Turner rounded third and spiked his helmet and skipped into a mob of Dodgers who still might be dancing.

“It was the most electric thing I’ve ever been part of, it’s crazy,” reliever Ross Stripling said.

Many of the players were not even born when Gibson hit his home run, so it’s understandable that they had no idea about the historical significance of the moment until they entered the clubhouse. Yet once they learned, though, a few eyes widened and a couple of jaws dropped.

“That’s all so incredible,” Stripling said. “Just to think, this team is trying to do what that 1988 team did. This home run, following in the footsteps of that home run, a lot of corresponding things that make it feel like destiny.”

Joe Maddon's call for John Lackey to relieve was Cubs' downfall (Dylan Hernandez, LAT, 10/15/17):

With two outs, the top of the order was up, starting with the right-handed-hitting Chris Taylor. Davis wasn’t warmed up but Lackey was.

A career starter, Lackey didn’t make an appearance in the division series. Now, he was being asked to make a relief appearance for the second consecutive night, this time with a runner in scoring position.

How the inning played out was pitifully predictable.

When starting pitchers make relief appearances, there’s a reason managers prefer the bases to be empty. Starting pitchers are greater risks to not have command immediately.

“I’m just betting on his experience right there as much as anything,” Maddon said.

The wager was lost and Lackey walked Taylor. Now, the Dodgers were sending their best hitter to the plate in Turner.

Maddon acknowledged this spelled trouble.

“I liked him a lot on the first guy, Taylor,” Maddon said. “Once that walk occurred, all bets were off against Turner. Nobody is a really great matchup against Turner.”

Turner launched a 1-and-0 fastball into the center-field side of the left field pavilion.

Lackey was his prickly self after the game. Asked about his final pitch, Lackey replied dismissively, “I’ll talk to my pitching coach about that.”

Meet Keith Hupp, the man who nabbed Justin Turner's walk-off homer (Arash Markazi, ESPN, 10/16/17):

"When JT came up to bat I turned to my son and said, 'Hey, it was almost one year ago today that he hit that home run, wouldn't it be cool if he hit one and I caught it again?'" Hupp said. "During his first three at-bats I was envisioning the flight of the ball and he didn't hit a home run.

"And in the ninth inning, he hit it, and it looked like it was tailing and going into center field and man, did I get lucky. I ran across as quick as I could and I reached out three or four feet and caught it."

After the game, the Dodgers brought Hupp and his son back to meet Turner. Hupp gave the ball to Turner and he and his son took photos with Turner and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen. While there was no official exchange on Sunday, Hupp expects it will be similar to what he got in return from Bellinger.

"I didn't ask for anything, but they told me they would hook me up, and I'm sure they will," said Hupp, who had 213 text messages on his cell phone by the time he got home before midnight. "That was the biggest ball I've ever caught. I thought the biggest ball I'd catch in my life was earlier this year when I caught the game-winning home run ball from Ian Kinsler when the USA won the World Baseball Classicat Dodger Stadium."

Hupp said he is donating that ball to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. While he has a vast baseball memorabilia collection at home, he said doesn't collect home run balls for money.

"I retired a couple of years ago, and I said I was going to spend my retirement income on baseball," Hupp said. "Last year I went to 109 games, and this year I went to 127 games. I went to all the games at Dodger Stadium this season and 46 games on the road. I've gone to all the playoff games. I always sit in the outfield because I try to catch home run balls.

"I'm an old guy, I'm 54 years, and when I see the ball coming at me, it's such a rush. I got mobbed after I caught the ball [Sunday]. There is nothing like it."

Other articles:

• Why wasn't Cubs closer Wade Davis on the mound at the end of the game? (ESPN.com)
• Tommy Lasorda delivers words of wisdom to Dodgers' Dave Roberts (ESPN.com)
• Dodgers’ Justin Turner Delivers a Walk-Off Homer to Topple Cubs (NYT)
• NLCS: 5 takeaways from Dodgers' walk-off Game 2 win (USAToday.com; includes point #2, "It's definitely not over.")
• History repeats itself for Dodgers (Yahoo Sports)

Post-NLCS Game 2 Thread: Ginger Jesus Walks Off

DODGERS 4, CUBS 1

29 years to the day of Kirk Gibson's famous walkoff HR in 1988!

NLDS Game 2 Post-Game Thread / At-Game Recap: Are The 2017 Dodgers Back?

Not the greatest start to the night, but still servicable

SoSG AC and I went to NLDS Game 2 Saturday night, and you could cut the tension with a knife.

It's funny, when watching Game 1 on the tele, it sounded like the Stadium was rocking. But SoSG AC told me that at the start of Game 1, there was so much tension, it was crazy. It was almost like the fans were afraid to cheer, until Justin Turner smashed a three-run HR in the first to break the seal early. And yes, it got closer later on in the game. But that top of the first, AC said, was brutal as every Dodger fan in the house had gnawing and churning stomachs.

On television, you'd never know.

So there I was in Game 2, and once again, the tension was high. At the Stadium, you could feel it, even with the fans streaming into the Stadium at 4p for the 6p start. There were no Dodger fans screaming down the corridors. There were no Dodger fans covered in facepaint, ready for war. Even the pre-game Diamondvision banter, focusing on a handful of fans in the left field pavilion, plus shots of the guys carrying the crazy-huge Dodgers flags up and down the main pavilion walkways, were met with sort of tepid cheers.

Maury Wills' tribute and first pitch was brilliant, steeping the Dodgers back into our hallowed tradition. And the unaccompanied national anthem guy was also solid. But it didn't do much to get Dodger fans alive.

And then came Rich Hill's meatball to Paul Goldschmidt, who with one out smoked a HR to left that was never in doubt (I think the exit speed off the bat was something like 108 mph, if I'm not mistaken). Down 2-0 early, and we went quietly in the first. Hoo boy, I thought.

Luckily, Robbie Ray also had control issues and his three WP led to the Dodgers' first and game-tying second run, the latter of which was in the fourth when Logan Forsythe (who had reached on a one-out single) came home to tie the game during a Kyle Farmer AB. Farmer struck out, but then Chris Taylor got a two-out single to score Austin Barnes (who also had singled) and take a 3-2 lead. Finally, the Dodgers crowd could exhale a little bit, and it got a whole lot louder.

And the fifth inning opened the can of whupass like the Dodgers had done through most of this season, this time advancing runners around the diamond without the benefit of a HR. Justin Turner opened the inning with a HBP, but was retired with a Cody Bellinger force at second. The Snakes went to Jimmie Sherfy again thinking that the Dodgers would wilt before the unknown rookie. However Curtis Granderson, he of the four absolutely awful at bats in Game 1 (2Ks, 4 LOB), came through with a single (and advanced to second on the errant throw by JD Martinez). Forsythe singled in Cody to make it 4-2; Barnes doubled to make it 6-2; and then Yasiel Puig greeted Jorge De La Rosa (remember this guy?) with a RBI single to make it 7-2.

The Diamondbacks got closer in the seventh on an absolutely mammoth three-run HR off of Brandon Morrow, but Morrow settled after that fateful first pitch and got the next three outs, and then the Dodgers tacked on another run off of Archie Bradley in the seventh when Ketel Marte let one through the five hole. 8-5 LA through seven, and that's where she ended.

The scoreboard operators (not to mention Rich Hill) had to implore the Dodgers fans to MAKE SOME NOISE multiple times in the evening, but by the end of the game and Randy Newman's famous song, the place went nuts. Dodgers win, 8-5, and lead the NLDS, 2-0.

-----

AC and I were commenting on how Dave Roberts was playing this game like a Game 7: Rich Hill pulled after four innings. Tony Cingrani brought in for one batter (leadoff hitter David Peralta) in the fifth, up 3-2; and then Kenta Maeda in for two surgical outs over four pitches (K, ground to short) to retain the 3-2 lead.

Maeda looked like he was done when Yasmani Grandal (talk about weak bats of late) was in the on-deck circle, but after Puig's RBI single, Maeda stayed in to bat (pop out to second to end the inning), but then struck out JD Martinez in the top of the sixth before Doc went to Tony Watson for the next two outs. When Watson struggled with two singles to start the top of the seventh, Roberts went to Morrow, who started poorly but settled; Josh Fields got the first out of the eighth and then gave up a double to Daniel Descalso, and then Kenley Jansen came in for the five-out save (which was largely efficient, thanks in part to a great play by JT to end the eighth on a rocket to third that he handled smooth like Santana).

Roberts had Granderson come in at the right time. He played Ethier, who took a walk in the seventh. Roberts saved a catcher on the bench in case he needed him. He also wisely never went to Pedro Baez, particularly given the Snakes' big bats who would have feasted on fastballs.

We got four servicable innings out of Rich Hill. We found a great spot for Maeda, who delivered.

Logan Forsythe, after a season full of offensive mediocrity, went 3-for-5 and is batting .500 with a 1.056 OPS in two games.

Austin Barnes went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI and has a 1.800 OPS, leading the Dodgers (Turner at 1.475; Puig at 1.445; Corey Seager at 1.125).

On the negative, Cody Bellinger looks kinda lost, going 0-for-5 with some bad Ks that I have to think are rookie jitters. Stay on target, Cody. Stay on target.

Starwars Stayontarget GIF from Starwars GIFs

Puig keeps getting ahead of himself, following his fifth-inning RBI single by getting picked off at second, when I've gotta think he didn't have a "go" sign. That said, Maeda was at the plate anyway, but once again he has to keep his ego in check despite his prodigious talents (3-for-4 with 2 RBI). Let's hope Roberts can keep guiding Puig to be a team player.

In Doc We Trust, AC said. In Doc We Trust.

-----

So this sets us up for a third game in AZ with the Dodgers starting Yu Darvish.

The Diamondbacks have trust in Zack Greinke, he of the tiny head, which I suppose is exactly what you'd want your skipper to say even after lasting only 3.2 IP with 4 ER in the pivotal Wild Card play-in game. This is why we got Darvish in the first place, though, and this is Yu's chance to step up on the big stage. Let's hope all the talk of his simplified delivery yields benefits.

And, just like the start of NLDS Game 2, I'm nervous again.

Post-Series Thread: Dodgers Sweep Padres in Penultimate Series

It's a friar sweep!

The Dodgers, owners of a woeful September record with somnambulent offense and porous bullpen, just swept the Padres in three games by a combined score of 28-5. Sure, Adrian Gonzalez was shut down for the rest of the year (including postseason) due to his bad back, and Chris Taylor left today's game in the first inning after hurting his knee running to first base. These are not good signs.

But should we be happy about finally breaking out of our September slump? And having probably anchored around three starters (Kershaw, Darvish, and Hill; with Wood and Maeda likely coming out of the pen)?

Or is this a false read given we beat the lowly 70-89 Padres?

We've got a day off here. Curious to hear what you think.

Post-Series Thread (Games 154-156): Sept 22-24 vs. Giants

Kershaw, dealing again.

Whoops, we forgot to put up a Series Thread for this series. Nothing to see here, except the Dodgers clinching the NL West for the fifth consecutive year on Friday night (4-2), then dropping the middle game vs. Ashley Madison (1-2), and then winning Sunday's matinee behind Clayton Kershaw's 18th victory and a rare Yasmani Grandal piece of offense (2-run HR in the fourth). Dodgers win today 3-1 and take the series.

Six regular-season games to go.

photo: Jake Roth, USA Today

Post-Game 2 Thread: Padres 4, Dodgers 0: Nothing Doing

DODGERS 0, PADRES 4

If nothing else, it was tidy. Maeda faltered early, and the offense was completely toothless facing Clayton Richard. No Dodger baserunner ever reached scoring position. It's too early to say that 2016's lefty woes will carry over into 2017, but this wasn't a good omen, at the very least.

Would you believe I grounded out sharply twice to short and hit into a 6-4-3 double play on the drive home?

Post-Game 1 Thread: Dodgers 14, Padres 3; Pwnage Jhoulys

DODGERS 14, PADRES 3

Surprise, motherfuckers! There isn't a minimum-security voluntary rehabilitation facility built that can keep me away from opening day. Unless it's court-ordered.

It's one game versus the hapless Padres, but it still counts in the win column, which is more that the Giants, Cubs, or Yankees can say today. The Dodgers start 2017 off on a positive note by juicing Chacin for 9 runs, all earned. The big blow fell in the third, where Justin Turner's two-out double sparked an offensive explosion that culminated in a Joc Pederson grand slam with a Grandal solo-shot chaser. All this in a Clayton Kershaw start, as well.

Baseball is back, boys and girls, and today was a good day.