Cubs at Dodgers, 5:00 PM PT, TV: TBS
The Dodgers will start LHP Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31 ERA) in tonight’s game. It is still unclear who the Cubs’ starter will be as of Friday evening. It’s likely either John Lackey or Jose Quintana.
Update: It will be Quintana. He started and went 5 2/3 innings in Game Three of the NLDS against the Nats and gave up one unearned run on just two hits. He also threw 12 pitches to four hitters in relief in Game Five.
The Dodgers’ prized shortstop Corey Seager is day-to-day with a back issue, Manager Dave Roberts said.
Update: Seager is not on the official NLCS roster. More here:
“His back’s been barking since that Game 3 in Arizona, so we’re going to have him lay low,” manager Dave Roberts said on Friday. “A lot of what we’ve done even this season, just keep him off the field, helps the elbow and now with the back, so to keep him laying low. But we’re optimistic he’ll be fine day-to-day.”
Obviously that didn’t work. Culberson took his place on the roster, and with Hernandez and Taylor possibly needed to play shortstop as well, the Dodgers added Joc Pederson to the roster for outfield depth.
Today in baseball history:
- 1969 Thanks to two great catches by Tommy Agee at Shea Stadium, the Mets beat the Orioles to take a 2-1 game lead in the World Series. The center fielder’s outfield heroics save the team at least five runs in the 5-0 victory over Baltimore.
- 1985 Ozzie Smith provides one of the most memorable moments in Cardinals history by hitting a dramatic homer to win Game 5 of the NLCS. The round-tripper was the first left handed home run of the Wizard’s career, which spans 3009 major league at-bats. (“Go crazy, folks, go crazy!”)
- 2003 Holding a 3-0 lead and needing only five more outs to go the World Series for the first time since 1945, the Cubs give up eight runs on five hits, three walks, and an error to the Marlins. The team appears to come apart after a fan, later identified as Steve Bartman, sitting along the left-field line at Wrigley Field, tries to catch a foul ball that was about to be caught by Chicago outfielder Moises Alou for the second out of the inning.
Lineup:
#ThisTeam // NLCS Game 1:
Taylor CF
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Hernández LF
Forsythe 2B
Barnes C
Puig RF
Culberson SS
Kershaw P pic.twitter.com/KRwDB1NgQz— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 14, 2017
NPUT
I thought Ethier was the primary lefty pinch hitter. Roberts went with Granderson with two outs, runners on second and third, in a late inning (7th). Grandy stays in Roberts favor for reasons I can’t figure out from my seat in New Hampshire.
Wasn’t a PH, but switching Quique for Grandy.
Except he put Joc in LF and not Grandy.
Well, there you go, he thinks more of Grandy doing something in that situation than Dre.
And doesn’t think as highly of Joc batting average n that situation.
I would have gone with Utley.
Imagine that he wanted to keep his infielder in his pocket, whereas he has three guys who can play left.
I thought Darling was annoying with his opinion about the Posey rule. He went on and on with his personal opinion. Too bad Culberson didn’t say he would have slid feet first hard into the catchers exposed leg or tried to crash into the catcher to jar the ball loose if the Posey rule didn’t exist.
Yeah, his rant didn’t explore the counterfactual. If Contreras is allowed to block the plate, Charlie would have come in differently, either plowing into him just when the ball arrives or sliding into his extended leg. Someone might have then been carried off the field. (FD: got my ankle dislocated and tibia fractured blocking homeplate-with the ball-as a thirteen year old in Pony League).
I will always remember Donell Nixon’s crashing into Scioscia and bouncing half-way back to third base.
Scioscia also sent runners airbound over his shoulder.
Landed and it was 0-2. Listened as we Ubered home and walked into the house just in time to see KJ get the final K. That was something.
Just watching highlights of game I missed, I was delighted to see Tommy D honored with the first pitch.
So you and I both had to miss it. I was in the air, you were in the lava.
Both of you go back. It obviously helped the Dodgers that you were rooting from those locations.
In the pahoehoe (and occasionally the aa).
Woo-HOO ! ! ! !
Game Two 4:38 pm PT tomorrow.
I’ll have to see if my wife let me get back in time for the game. She owes me for this one.
That’s 1:38 PM Hawai’i time, sir. Good luck.
Puig doing interviews in English. Good for him.
Pitchers got the last 18 guys in order. Wow.
We win!
We win!
K!
K! One More!
Good AB!
Just got back from a long day in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – my wife vetoed an early return – but was gratified to see developments so far.
Is that volcano still active?
Very.
Current activity.
This seems a bit silly bringing in Jansen now. Let Watson finish the 8th and have Jansen start the 9th.
I feel similarly. Particularly with a game tomorrow.
Likely to involve what, 5-8 more pitches than otherwise? Kenley certainly able to go two games in a row and the next day is off.
The big guns are up. I go with Jansen!
Outside of Almora’s HR the big guns have been basically silenced all game.
(Whispers) Maybe they’re due.
Regardless. We want Jansen still closing out games 2 weeks from now. I recall last year both Miller of Cleveland and Chapman of NY being gased by Game 7 last year. Save Jansen a few pitches here and there can’t possibly be a bad long term plan.
Jansen is well-rested and, even if he throws tomorrow, he’ll have a day’s rest before Game 3.
It’s not tomorrow I’m thinking of necessarily
Let him rest during a blow out.
Obviously can’t count on there being one.
Yet, you are counting on WS games? (Could be a blow out either way).
I’m not counting on them. Just want an un-gased Jansen if we get there. All I’m saying is trust Watson for one more out with a 3 run lead in the 8th. And I still want Jansen for the 9th. We have different opinions on that Bob. I get that.
I want Jansen facing Bryant, not Watson, even if it cost 5-8 more pitches.
Cool.
Need to keep it that way. Amirite!?
That was clean. No one on base.
Yeah I changed that. But what I meant was not having to come in, pitch, sit on the bench, go back out, warm up, and then pitch again. Much cleaner just to come in at the top of the 9th.
That’s what he has been prepping for.
Charlie with the softest toss I have ever seen from an SS.
Well. Nice to have insurance. Still hoping for lock down pitching from Morrow and Jansen.
Amen to both
Is it rocking there Bob? 🙂
Oh yeah!
Sweet!
I don’t imagine you’ve got a zoom lens which could tell us whether the netting stretches from the end of the dugout on the 3b side to the end on the 1b side. I’m just curious. About a dozen teams already have lengthened the fan safety nets and I’m wondering if the Dodgers are one of them.
Just saw this Sunday. My camera wouldn’t see it, but I DID have binoculars.
Next time — hopefully if I get a World Series ticket and able to use it!
And by Morrow I mean Watson.
Didn’t the Cubs get a run on CI against the Nats?
In that bizarre inning in Game Five. CI was called; whether there was a run I can’t remember.
Is it actually called Catcher Interference? Or is that just for hitters at the plate getting interfered with?
That’s its title, yeah. Here’s the play in the Cubs – Nats game. It didn’t score a run.
I’m with Darling. The rule means athleticism goes unrewarded.
The rule means that Charlie doesn’t headhunt. That is the trade off.
Most players aren’t Pete Rose.
Don’t bet on it. It is the playoffs. 🙂
There’s that.
Yes, without the rule Contreas gets flattened.
Mad Men is thrown out. And Culberson is safe.
Take it easy Ron Darling.
Ha! Yeah.
He blocks the plate and then Charlie runs over him like in the old days, and is safe.
Exactly. Without the rule the slide and the play happens differently.
Catcher interference!
Thank you Buster Posey!
They have to call it. Otherwise the rule means nothing.
Indeed.
Dodgers having their own Bizzaro inning.
Cubs bringing in their Lackey.
Culberson having a hard time getting to third.
Morrow with the ALMOST perfect sacrifice bunt.
Strasburg showed how to do it. You gotta hit it up first baseline, the area that Rizzo vacates.
CC!
Carl Crawford! (jk)
Charlie baby!
Dodgers back to scoring 50% of their runs via the HR.
Woohoo!
Yeah, but did he call it?
Puig!!!!
Puig!
Wonder if the plan is Morrow for 4 outs and Jansen for 4 outs?
Game 5 between the Cubs and Nats is exhibit A
This comment is for Link.
Gotcha.
Huh?
It is in response to your comment right below this about parade of relievers.
Oh, I see. Yep.
I know it’s how things are done now, but this revolving door of relievers always feels like overmanaging to me.
Problem for Maddon is that he really didn’t have a righty he could trust. Rendon looked ripe so he decided to go with lefty against Belli, but then left him in to face the bevy of righties that followed.
Oh Austin.
So much for making the Cub pitchers work.
And then the walk happens anyways.
Ha! Walks happen is so old school.
That’s what they told Billy Beane.
Logan, OBP machine.
He looks safe.
Easily.
Great slide. Straight in, just like Wills did and teaches.
Certainly doesn’t look out.
Loving this bullpen!
Come on Sticky.
Nice to see Belli make solid contact.
Bellinger.
Belli’s splits are almost identical, though Rendon looked ready to give up a monster. Does let Quique see another lefty.
So much for that move by Maddon.
Don’t mind getting into this pen.
Given the bullpen results, Roberts is a better manager than Madden.
CT!
He just missed it last time. Rocked it this time!!
Wow!
Almost had one earlier.
CT I love you!
Yeeeessss!
I have warm feelings for Rendon right now too!
Tony C and Kenta made it look so easy. Kershaw struggled mightily compared to that.
I suppose it’s possible to get the playoff yips.
With Kershaw’s history, he can not be upset about getting hit for.
Not with how he was doing tonight, which is now part of his history.
In 100 playoff innings, ERA at 4.95.
It’s weird.
Plus RISP begged for PH with the Dodgers tied.
Cameras didn’t show any arguments. Kersh probably agreed.
Thanks. Didn’t see anything either.
Sure?
Quintana ended up with a higher pitch count than Klayton.
Key Sac fly by Charlie. He hasn’t touched the ball in the field – – hope it doesn’t happen in a clutch situation.
“Alexa, four innings of shutout relief.”
And several of blue bats!
Two walks and a Puig!!!
Sounds like a breakfast item
And a side of tongue.
Well, at least our bats woke up at a good time.
Still a chance for Kersh to get a win
Or not.
But can not get a loss.
Let’s go Kyle!
We are tied
Woot!
So that will be it for Kershaw likely.
Seems likely.
Puig!
Very glad that the ball didn’t get past Contreras. They might have put Puig on to get to Culberson.
Yes Puig!
Barnes does good with a two strike count.
Logan is our player of the game!
Seems like all the Dodger batters are swinging for the fences now.
Only three swing and misses for Quintana, all Belli.
Now Quique.
Yeah I do have recency basis! 🙂
Come on bats
Pitches per inning down to 17.4.
That would still be 85 after five innings.
Yes. It’s at 87.
Maeda up. Only 5 for Kershaw?
Wouldn’t put it past Doc.
Kershaw averaging 18.3 pitches per inning through first 4 innings.
Too much idleness.
Downside of the sweep vs AZ?
Plus no pressure to make the playoffs.
Isn’t league average around 13-14?
Worse than league average or even league average are not monikers I like to have applied to Kershaw.
Style of pitching lends itself to a lot of pitches in his case, even in the best of circumstances.
What is Kershaw’s pitch/inning average this year? Or career? Are numbers like that available?
Raw numbers certainly are.
Career is 15.16 pitches/inning. (29,341 pitches over 1935 innings).
14.4 this year.
Quintana not that far behind in pitch count, even with the gem he is pitching.
Beginning to feel like a 5 or 6 run cushion. Have to remind myself it’s only 2.
Announcer just said that Bellinger had a career year. What the…?
Maybe yes, maybe no.
Well exactly. Who’s to say?!
Small percentage of players have had 39 HRs so it was a career year for most HR wise.
CT just missed that one. Wrong part of the park.
Come on bats.
Curve seems to be the only thing working at this point.
Opening ceremonies:
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/bbf812e46f7a80ef30f7ed287af9fc569986568158c38177d229f579f0f63e4b.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f7a3a8e2aa42f5b0e9a08775a42cd3fcef1f63e9f301e609168c149b0d7a4ad4.jpg
Bob in Vegas at the Stadium earlier today. That’s the Jackie Robinson statue behind him.
Looking good Bob!
Thanks for posting it Link.
Ditto on the thanks
Sure. Cropped both a little bit, but got the important parts I think.
Falling behind in the count repeatedly.
He was more in control when I saw him September one in San Diego coming off the disabled list.
Felt inevitable.
Yes.
Kershaw is worrying me.
Command issues.
Yup.
And then put it in the wheelhouse.
Yep
Would you rather have a team of all Kershaws (pitching/hitting/fielding) or a team of all Puigs?
Puig has a fastball and throws accurately. I am more willing to put him at catcher.
I’d settle for a team all Babe Ruth’s.
Was that the Playoff Puig catching that ball?
Yes, caught it with his tongue.
Ha! So good Bob.
Dumb luck.
I think we will need RBI to show up soon.
She is so LA.
She may still be in Mexico.
Way to go Logan.
Subs!
Oops, thought that was Culbertson.
Time for some hits.
Quintana with 22 pitches himself.
And his pitches/batter is higher.
I’m never a fan when Kershaw’s pitch count in the first inning matches or goes over his uniform number.
But a scoreless top of the first.
Warmed up, calmed down, ready to be Kershaw.
True. I think of Bob H’s theory that a starting pitchers worst innings are the first inning – and their last inning. It’s really bad when those 2 innings are one in the same.
I’m glad Kershaw doesn’t have Hershiser’s number.
Ha! Or Ryu’s.
Or Kenley’s!
Nice curve for the second out.
K!
!!
Strike!
Again surprised – but pleased – to see Barnes in there catching Kershaw.
Starts against lefties at this point.
I’m aware of that but also know that Grandal often catches Kershaw.
They crossed that bridge some time ago.
Cool beans.
He is getting starts against righties as well.
I’m a bit jealous of the Astros right now. Not only are they 2 wins away from the WS, they have had the pleasure of beating the Yankees twice. It’s always fun beating the Yankees. Always fun when the Yankees lose.
But I also realize Yankee magic is never far away.
They ain’t done till there’s a stake in their hearts.
That sounds about right.
Top of the reserve section
Tried to load a photo but it’s too big. We’re almost ready!!
Go Bob. And go Dodgers!
Bob in Paradise!
Can you email me the photo? linkmeister@gmail.com
No Seager is tough news but a healthy Culberson is hopefully better than an injured Seager.
I like the fact that we have six position players on the bench and are going with only 11 pitchers.
If Seager improves sufficiently, I understand that he can be put on the NLCS roster at any point in the series if someone else is “injured.” Am I right?
Yes, but guessing that MLB (and Cubbies) would scrutinize closely any such move.
Let’s get this thing started.
Further discussion of Seager and other roster thoughts from Roberts here.
Kiké hitting cleanup? Really?
Slash line against southpaws is .270/.369/.579. So, yeah!
More Seager news.
Fast moving Yankee Astros game so far. 0-0 to[ of the fifth.
Pitching reasserting itself so far in this round.
Bums got his wish. Joc on the roster.
I got my wish but didn’t want it to come true at the expense of losing Cory.
Good to have the depth. Joc hit very well in last two weeks of the season.
Ugh. Barnes batting second?
I like it. Who did you prefer?
Fine with me, but Doc going with Turner.
Full roster here. Note no Baez.