First game: Cubs at Cardinals, 2:30PM PT, TV: TBS
Down 1-0, the Cubs hope to bounce back with right-hander Kyle Hendricks (8-7, 3.95 ERA) going against the Cardinals’ lefty Jaime Garcia (10-6, 2.43 ERA). They would really like to see their Rookie-of-the-Year candidate Kris Bryant break out of his 3-for-30 slump in his last eight games. He’s never seen Garcia, but then only Starlin Castro of the Cubs has: the last time Garcia pitched against Chicago was in 2012. The Cardinals have seen quite a bit of the Cubs’ Hendricks, and some of them have done quite well against him.
Second game: Mets at Dodgers, 6:00PM PT, TV: TBS
The Dodgers send Zack Greinke (19-3, 1.66 ERA) to stop the Mets and their rookie righthander Noah Syndergaard (9-7, 3.24 ERA). The Dodgers’ hitting is not firing on all cylinders, and some of that can be laid at the feet of the Mets’ de Grom last night. They have to get untracked today or they go to New York down two games to none with the prospect of having to win three straight to advance to the NLCS.
Don’t despair, Dodgers fans! From Roger Angell’s World Series column in 1965:
The Twins, having devoured Drysdale and Koufax on successive afternoons, now disposed of Perranoski.
[snip]
I came away with the curious impression that the Twins, after two straight victories, were only slightly behind in the World Series.
And we all remember how that Series turned out, don’t we?
NLDS Game 2 #Dodgers lineup:
Kendrick 2B
Seager SS
Gonzalez 1B
Turner 3B
Ethier RF
Crawford LF
Grandal C
Hernandez CF
Greinke P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 10, 2015
NPUT ALDS Games Three thread.
After last night, it’s nice to have a breather of DH-only games that I don’t care much about.
If Anderson doesn’t win Monday, DM is going to be in an awful fix. If Anderson loses and he starts, and loses Game 4 with Wood, he’ll be crucified for not starting Kershaw, even on 3 days rest, the best in baseball, 3 time CYA winner etc, etc, etc… If he starts and loses with Kershaw, he’ll still be crucified just as badly for starting a tired pitcher with a history of losing big games when he had a fresh young arm on the bench etc, etc, etc… My guess is Kershaw takes him off the horns of dilemma, says, ” Give me the ball.” Why does anyone want to be a baseball manager?
Interesting comments all over the internet about Utley/Tejada. When these plays happen against the Dodgers, all the analysts call the Dodgers soft and whiners and they say their opponents are hard nosed competitors.
I feel for Tejada, however that is baseball. Pedro railed against the Dodgers and the umpires last night. When he was pitching, he would have killed his teammates had they not done what Utley did. Was the slide late? Yes, but within the rules. And according to the rules, the replay officials got it right.
And Pedro…baseball officials should disclose “who in NY made that decision and where he lives” kind of comments. He was one of the best pitchers ever, I seem to remember him throwing at batters when it suited him. Now he is championing the safety of players.
The baseball world is rooting for the Mets, and against the high priced Dodgers. Had the play been the other way around, they would have been discussing those gutty little Mets doing anything it takes to win.
Let me play lawyer for a few minutes… In the past, players have been criticized for sliding into first base because it was a proven fact that running all the way was the fastest way to get there. So too it would be to get to second base. On a force out, the runner has no excuse at all for sliding, he’s actually working against his best interest in reaching the base safely. That being said, it means nothing. Baseball has its traditions and they will likely continue to keep them. One of the traditions to discourage hard slides was for the infielder to leap into the air and come down spikes first on the slider. That was old Baseball. In today’s game, the guy you slide into today could be a teammate tomorrow. There wasn’t nearly as much player movement years ago with the Reserve Clause.
You can’t overrun second without being subject to a tag like you can at first. Also, you need to get down in order not to be hit by the throw to first..
The first is a legal problem that could be fixed as it is at first in that he can’t be tagged out as long as he dosen’t turn toward third base. The second, it is up to the runner whether he ducks or not, some runners have stayed up to block the throw which opens up a whole new can of worms. You’re right, of course, it was a waste of electrons, but that’s what we do here….
Sounds more dangerous to me. What’s the objective again? Would it apply to third as well?
See last two sentences above.
So, you don’t want guys sliding into guys who might be their teammates in the future? 😉
I have reminded people of Reggie Jackson’s hip in Game Four of the 1978 World Series.
I was going to mention that as well, but thought I had written more than enough.
And you’d have been met with “well, nobody broke a leg on that play!”
Too true
Wow, wotta game!
Woo-HOO!!!!!!
There it is! What we’ve all been waiting for!
Happy Birthday RBI!!! Enjoy the day tomorrow!
Does Wood vs Kershaw for game 4 come down to Anderson and the Dodgers winning or losing game 3?
Probably, I would guess.
We win!
Nice win . . . happy birthday, RBI!
Murph keeps sounding the ump
I hate defensive indifference.
I am indifferent.
How do you feel about doubles down the line?
As a third baseman, I do not permit them.
How about past the first baseman?
I have great range.
Ha! Nice!!
A walk! Get the rust out.
Fractured fibula, Tejada out for the year I would expect.
Got one of those playing Pony league. Cast to hip for 6 weeks.
Utley’s going to be ripped mercilessly in NY.
As much as I hope this turns things around for the Dodgers, I feel bad for him and the Mets, especially since I was thinking earlier of how Hanley’s broken rib changed everything for LA two years ago.
Let’s hope Utley’s slide = Dave Roberts’ SB.
The slide was pretty dramatic, admittedly, but if Roberts had been thrown out the Sawx would have been eliminated.
Very nearly. I don’t think there were 2 outs but Boston was much much closer to being finished.
I believe there were two outs, and the game and series would have been over, but I’m too lazy to look it up.
Dave’s right. Millar walked to lead off the ninth and Roberts pinch-ran for him. After the steal Mueller singled to score Roberts with nobody out, but the Sox couldn’t get the winning run across and they went to the 12th when Ortiz homered with a man on to win it for Boston.
Puig being Puig.
In fairness, he’s rusty, but I don’t expect him to be 100 percent until spring either.
Puig sighting!
Fine inning by Hatcher.
Wow! Hatcher doing his job!
Second half ERA of like 1.30.
Nice!
Could ya hear, could ya hear the thunder!?
You better run. You better take cover!
taped it to watch later, busy now
Hatcher. Jansen.
Let’s head to NY tied 1-1.
2 more innings!
Finally the 7th is someone else’s Waterloo!!
We seem to have found slop in their pen.
Hopefully leading to a happy birthday for you, RBI!
What an inning! Keep it up, Dodgers.
Oh hallelujah!!
The batting coma appears to be over — what a turnaround!
Go Go Go!
Butter and egg man delivers!!
Clutch Agon!
Ron sends Howie in, nice call!
Hustle gets more!!!!!
Didn’t see it, but Steiner seemed surprised the 2nd runner was sent in.
Steiner’s surprised at everything. He’s one of the worst in the game.
Hey RBI – how’s the vibe there now?
Insane!
Wow! Safe? I guess it’s a two-parter and the Mets have to challenge now.
It will be flipped again likely. The Mets will appeal and they have to call him out. Don’t they have to?
I guess not!
Shoot Seager couldn’t capitalize though.
Up to Gonzo.
I hope Tejada will be okay. Hate to see him get injured badly.
How much will Utley get boo’d in NY?
Too bad for Tejada, but he tried to make a spectacular play with back to Utley and paid for it.
Did Tejada touch second?
Not clearly, but nor did Utley.
And Utley is then out once he hits the foul lines or dugout.
Exactly like Utley’s toe tap in Colorado.
One the hardest slides in recent memory.
Oh wow! Was that a legit slide?
Yep, his hand was by the base.
Hustle — several times — gets them the run!
Chase gets a hit with the RISP — but not the run. 🙁
Please, please no DP.
A walk and a SB however is a legit rally possibility.
Hmm Utley. Still not excited to see him.
But then, he does love the limelight.
I don’t mind being corrected!! Frustrating however that it was hit in such a way that Kiké couldn’t score.
He delivers, though.
Glad to be wrong!
Sad when one walk is our big hope for a rally.
It could be a start.
Okay Grandal. Time for a timely hit!
Or not.
Yea! The 7th inning didn’t kill Zack.
That’s just the KO for Kid K.
Of course, both of them have the same hitters “supporting” them.
Just when you think Crawford can’t do any worse than fanning on a pitch over his head…
Oh man – I don’t like DP’s. Against us that is.
Ethier needs to make up for his baserunning blunder.
A HR is hopefully a good way to avoid any base running blunders.
DP! That’s helpful.
Love those DPs!
Good inning, Zach!
We have to hold them now.
Steinered again! A routine fly ball.
Dre a little bit too enthusiastic.
I think you mean to say “foolish.”
He may not have realized the pitcher had a play on it.
Well, that was nice.
This edition of the Dodgers is reminding me of the 1966 edition so far. Nobody can hit the Mets’ pitchers just like nobody could hit the Orioles’ pitchers then.
Their pitchers are pretty unhittable so far.
In 1966 the Dodgers, in four games, got 14 hits.
We may not make it to four. But who knows?
That appears, sadly, to be an apt comparison, but I don’t think even Jim Palmer threw this hard.
I believe that Steve Barber did, however.
Steve Dalkowski threw even harder, but never threw a strike.
Barber had problems in that regard as well.
Barber didn’t pitch. Drabowsky, Palmer, Bunker, McNally.
Yep, got confused.
Greinke not so sharp, just like Kershaw last night. Or else it’s that the Mets bats are so hot.
i’d say the former.
Me, too. Way too many pitches.
Thor is throwing more.
But our BP is, well, our BP.
It’s the RISP curse. We’d better hit some long balls out, because we’re not doing the other well at all.
AGon is overmatched.
That seems to go for every batter the Dodgers put up there.
OK, Zanky, help yourself.
A little Quique magic! (Now a Zach dinger?)
Pretty quiet out here…
Are you at the game?
Yes, with my son, daughter and husband. It’s my birthday tomorrow. But that doesn’t seem to be helping.
Well, at least somebody hit the ball hard, and Syndergaard’s pitch count rose a bit.
Ha! Big cheer for a BB!
Mets bringing big lumber.
Oh man, this is not normal Greinke.
Heckuva play by Seager.
I’ve made that play before (in softball, at 3B, on a ball down the line.
Once myself as well, down the line coming over from 2nd base playing hardball in college.
It’s a really fun play to make. I knew I had it all the way.
No Cal, the pitch was not right over the plate.
Behind again.
Agon was not too far off last night with that long foul.
Cal Jr didn’t read the WSJ article on Greinke.
Here it is.
Sitting in the MTS Centre where the NHL Jets play. Tonight though I’m with my son watching NBA exhibition Chicago Bulls vs Minnesota Timberwolves.
But I will have my eye on the Dodger game as well!
What’s NHL and NBA????
Do they have something to do with handegg?
Looks like I’ll be able to watch the game tonight, as it was last night, but the games from New York are blacked out for whatever reason.
That makes no sense. I presume you have cable that supposedly includes TBS?
Dish. And that’s how I’ll be watching it tonight. But not Monday?????
So, it has TBS on weekends but not on weekdays?
Says game Monday is unavailable.
Cubs lead the Cards 6-1 in the third. Garcia knocked out in the second inning, Lynn in for the Redbirds.
Good story at ESPN about Greinke and his career.
Article in the WSJ on Greinke being the ultimate “big data” pitcher. Wallich is usually in charge of defensive shifting looking at tendencies before the game, but Zach is involved when he pitches because he also brings in his strategy on where and what he will pitch to certain guys that can have an impact on how the defense sets up. (Sorry, no link, read it at my brother’s house).
Can’t kibitz that lineup, they should hit. But they probably won’t. The FO has provided good players (on paper). The Manager usually puts what should be enough good players in the lineup that it should get the job done. But all too often it doesn’t. The only conclusion I can reach is that the Manager is failing in his effort to inspire them to their best output. I don’t know any good managers that I think could do better but I think he should be replaced anyway. It’s easier than replacing 25 players.
DM has his shortcomings, but managing the clubhouse is not one. Players play hard and know the postseason is their time to shine– if they can. They’re motivated. But motivated players fail all the time. Sometimes you just tip your cap to the other team’s players for pitching and playing better, and losing has nothing to do with your own manager.
One of the ESPN writers suggested Baez was wrong because he was a one-pitch pitcher, just the fastball.
Mark Saxon of ESPN points out that the biggest thing keeping Kershaw from winning in the postseason is guys named de Grom and Wacha. “In Kershaw’s five-game postseason losing streak, the Dodgers have mustered eight runs of support over 29 1/3 innings.”
In retrospect, Báez was the wrong move. The problem is that Mattingly – and almost all other managers – are on automatic pilot when it comes to bullpen management. He thinks Hatcher is his eighth-inning guy and Kenley his ninth-inning, and nothing is likely to change that mindset. That said, Kenley’s much better when starting a clean inning than with inherited runners.
It wouldn’t upset me if Mattingly left, but there’s no guarantee his successor would be any less rigid in bullpen management. Still, there’s an art to managing a clubhouse – I can attest to the fact that handling the egos on a slow-pitch team is difficult enough, and I can only imagine what it’s like to manage a dozen or more players with higher salaries than yours.
How do you know what his salary is?
Check http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/the-6-highest-paid-mlb-managers-in-2014.html/?a=viewall
Eighteen players on the 40-man roster earn as much or more than his
$1.6 million.