MLB Postseason 2021

[luvdahops]

Certainly having better luck than Wendell "Send'em in" Kim from back in the day.

I believe the official nickname was "Wave 'em in Wendell", which as a Cubs fan I do NOT remember fondly...

[gumbomoop]

I agree that Roberts overthought the situation in putting in Urias. Haven't they learned from Kershaw in prior years that plugging a starting pitcher into a relief spot can change things. I was okay with Scherzer in the end against Giants, but that added to his tiring early last night. Up 2 in the 8th, was it worth throwing Urias, even if it had worked out? I disagree that the Dodgers are a lazy team, notwithstanding one play by a little-used player in one game against the Giants. I don't think Seager had time to get squarely in front of that ball. Fundamentally, yes, he at least should have leaned that way, but he played it like most all major league players would play that ball. That's a play he would normally make look easy but just missed it. It was one of those errors that doesn't technically go as an error in the box score. Leaving runners on base is killing the Dodgers. Also, the modern of approach of swinging for the fences and taking more walks and strikeouts statistically works most the time, but the last 2 nights they have had a runner on 3rd with less than 2 outs and failed to make the fundamental play to score the run.

As a Dodgers' fan, I hope there is a long ways to go in the series. I wonder, though, what is the biggest regular season win differential in league championship series history for the less winning team to advance? To put it in perspective, there was more difference in wins between the Dodgers and Braves than between the Braves and the Cubs.

[NB — if readers are Braves, Red Sox, or Astros fans, this post is definitely TL;DR for you. Unless you’d enjoy a bit of schadenfreude reading some Dodger-kvetching.]

Glad to have your good perspective, 79-77. I think we agree more than disagree, but I may challenge your patience with my opinionated testiness below about Roberts’s pitching choices in the rest of the NLCS.

I guess I count as a Dodger fan, too. I saw (tv only, never been to LA) the ‘88 playoff/WS year, Hershiser, Gibson, and ... Hatcher! Gradually lost interest in baseball as I became a footy nutter in the 1990s and since. Actually missed most of Kershaw’s prime.

I guess because of MLBN on DirecTV and Dodgers in 3 of last 4 WS’s, I’ve started watching them quite a bit since 2017. Although the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal became the story of the ‘17 WS, at the time it was thought to be one of the greatest WS’s ever, at least through Game 6. Game 5 was a wonder, surely one of the most thrilling WS games ever. Game 2 was a beaut, too. All were tense, until a dull Game 7.

As to whether the Dodgers are a “lazy” team, I am probably too much put off by the swing-for-the-fences approach; but I can’t deny it has worked for the Dodgers. They were doing a lot right to win 106 games, though the brilliance of the Giants was perhaps balanced by the awful D-Backs, mediocre Rockies, and collapsing Padres.

As the season moved along, I considered making a list of what I thought of as the Dodgers’ lazy/lack-of-focus/bad baseball plays, because I thought at the time I was seeing too many. But I have no such list, only an opinion that Taylor’s gaffe and Seager’s pick it approach “reminded” me of earlier displays of what I thought of as “bad baseball.” And by earlier, I do not refer only to Neuse’s maddening gaffe. I think the Dodgers have lost focus on some plays, enough for me to notice. Or, if one prefers, for me to imagine, inaccurately.

As to Roberts, I like his matter-of-fact presence, his postgame commentary. Seems a really good guy. Still, I have thought he over-manages at times. Especially with pitchers.

Perhaps it’s a minor quibble, but the decision to drop OF/1B McKinney for P Phillips is puzzling. Did Roberts and the analytics guys think it more likely that Phillips could help in a bullpen game than that McKinney could pinch-hit and/or play late innings? Would Phillips appear in anything other than in the 8th or 9th of a 10-1 Dodger lead?

More important, let’s speculate on how Roberts might line up his pitchers the rest of the Series. It’s Buehler in Game 3. Four days rest, good. Now, if Dodgers lose Game 3, I could hardly blame him for going with Urias in Game 4, even though it would technically be on “short rest,” given his slightly-more-than-cameo in Game 2. But I’ll guess that even if Dodgers win game 3, he’ll still go with Urias in Game 4. And if the Braves win either Game 3 or Game 4, I’d guess Roberts would think he has to roll the dice with Scherzer, already exhausted and on 3 days’ rest, in Game 5.

My opinion is that the combo of the Dodgers’ failure to get a couple of key hits, Roberts’s pitching decisions which have not worked out, and Muncy’s key absence, have put them in a tough position for which Roberts’s pitching plans will maximize or minimize the Dodgers’ chances of advancing. Here’s what I hope he’ll do, but do not expect him to do.

Gotta win 4 of 5. [Duh.] Game 3 — Buehler, 4 days’ rest. Game 4 — Opener/bullpen game, hope we get some big runs against a likely Braves’ 4th starter/opener/bullpen game. Game 5 — Urias, on sufficient rest. Game 6 — Scherzer, on 5 days’ rest. Game 7 — Buehler, on 4 days’ rest, with, ok, if necessary, Urias for a strategic inning or so against lefties.

Imo, the worst scenario would be starting Urias in Game 4 and Scherzer in Game 5. It might happen.

The combination of Kershaw’s injury, Gonsolin’s near-disappearance, having had to play the wild card game, having lost a big Dodger Stadium home field advantage because of wild card/division winner rule, swing-for-the-fences RISP failures, and Roberts’s pitching decisions that have not quite worked — all this now requires strategic planning to win 4 of 5, not just Game 4 or 5.

[gumbomoop]

Four examples of bad baseball by the Dodgers in the first 5 innings: (1) Bellinger calls off the catcher on a pop-up, but then fails to get to the screen, hesitates, drops it. (2) With runner on second and Braves shifted to left, T. Turner gets the perfect pitch to just stroke through an open right side, middle outside part of plate, but instead tries to pull it, pops up. (3) Lux, admittedly still learning to play CF, doesn’t get to the wall to wait on long, high fly, fights sun, drops it. Called a double... Hmmm. (4) Bickford shakes off catcher on 0-2 count, hangs curve, gives up hit and a run.

Add in a clear missed third strike by the ump, and Buehler unraveled.

Braves look smart, solid, clutch.

[pfrduke]

The Dodgers’ worst regular season offensive player (this year) is having himself a clutch postseason

[SouthernDukie]

Braves look smart, solid, clutch.

You were saying? Come on, you know better than to do that when the Braves are playing. Until the series is over you never make those type of pronouncements where Atlanta is concerned.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Unreal HR. That was a GREAT pitch. Not a good one.

[CameronDuke]

Biggest postseason HR surrendered by the Barves to Bellinger since they were up 2-0 in the World Series in 96 and Jim Leyritz went yard at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.

We’ve seen how this movie ends, Barves …

5 outs away from being up 3-0 in the series. Now, they’re looking at a dogfight series if they lose this one …

[ClemmonsDevil]

Biggest postseason HR surrendered by the Barves to Bellinger since they were up 2-0 in the World Series in 96 and Jim Leyritz went yard at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.

We’ve seen how this movie ends, Barves …

5 outs away from being up 3-0 in the series. Now, they’re looking at a dogfight series if they lose this one …

Dodgers are the better team. Braves have to have this one I thought going in. Have to get up 3-0.

[CameronDuke]

Dodgers are the better team. Braves have to have this one I thought going in. Have to get up 3-0.

Hate to say it, but that was a series altering HR and 4 run 8th for the Dodgers. I think the Barves lose 4 in a row now …

They do this EVERY TIME THEY GET CLOSE!

They’re the Buffalo Bills of the 90s …

At least they got one in 95.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Hate to say it, but that was a series altering HR and 4 run 8th for the Dodgers. I think the Barves lose 4 in a row now …

They do this EVERY TIME THEY GET CLOSE!

They’re the Buffalo Bills of the 90s …

At least they got one in 95.

Ridiculous. Winning one means you aren't the Bills.

[SouthernDukie]

Hate to say it, but that was a series altering HR and 4 run 8th for the Dodgers. I think the Barves lose 4 in a row now …

They do this EVERY TIME THEY GET CLOSE!

They’re the Buffalo Bills of the 90s …

At least they got one in 95.

Yep. Biggest chokers in Major League Baseball - by a long shot. And I say that as a fan.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Yep. Biggest chokers in Major League Baseball - by a long shot. And I say that as a fan.

I definitely don't agree.

[CameronDuke]

Ridiculous. Winning one means you aren't the Bills.

I give them credit for their 1. More than most teams. But how many division championships have they won from the 90s to now to get 1? Heck they don’t even have the most World Series titles in their division. That would be the Marlins during that time span. They’re tied with the Nats and Phillies with 1. They choke in the postseason every year other than 95. Just the facts.

Atlanta professional sports are among the laughing stock of major cities with their lack of championships other than the Braves in 1995. They choke when it matters.

[SouthernDukie]

I definitely don't agree.

And I definitely disagree with you.

[ClemmonsDevil]

I give them credit for their 1. More than most teams. But how many division championships have they won from the 90s to now to get 1? Heck they don’t even have the most World Series titles in their division. That would be the Marlins during that time span. They’re tied with the Nats and Phillies with 1. They choke on the postseason every year other than 95. Just the facts.

I think that is a ridiculous thing to say. Winning is hard. I said this the other day. My old man coached high school basketball for 31 years. Won 15 conference titles. Made Final 4 in state 7 times. Went to 2 state championship games. Won 1. There was 0 choking involved.

[SouthernDukie]

I give them credit for their 1. More than most teams. But how many division championships have they won from the 90s to now to get 1? Heck they don’t even have the most World Series titles in their division. That would be the Marlins during that time span. They’re tied with the Nats and Phillies with 1. They choke in the postseason every year other than 95. Just the facts.

Atlanta professional sports are among the laughing stock of major cities with their lack of championships other than the Braves in 1995. They choke when it matters.

Bingo. And again, I say that as a fan of the team. It’s truly sad.

[CameronDuke]

I think that is a ridiculous thing to say. Winning is hard. I said this the other day. My old man coached high school basketball for 31 years. Won 15 conference titles. Made Final 4 in state 7 times. Went to 2 state championship games. Won 1. There was 0 choking involved.

Well, I agree that the semantics of “choking” I used maybe is a bit harsh. I get your point there. Winning is hard indeed. And it took 3 HOF pitchers (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz) a HOF 3Bman (Chipper), and HOF skipper (Bobby Cox) for them just to get 1 World Series title. I grew up a huge Braves fan.

The semantics of “choking” like I said is likely harsh. What would you call a franchise that has that much talent and that many opportunities to win MLB’s ultimate prize and sans 95, consistently fails to do so? No offense! But they do this every year in the playoffs.

[YmoBeThere]

I believe the official nickname was "Wave 'em in Wendell", which as a Cubs fan I do NOT remember fondly...

My memories of him go back to when he was coaching with the Phoenix Firebirds. I heard "send'em in" second hand from someone who was dating one of the Firebirds players at the time.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Well, I agree that the semantics of “choking” I used maybe is a bit harsh. I get your point there. Winning is hard indeed. And it took 3 HOF pitchers (Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz) a HOF 3Bman (Chipper), and HOF skipper (Bobby Cox) for them just to get 1 World Series title. I grew up a huge Braves fan.

The semantics of “choking” like I said is likely harsh. What would you call a franchise that has that much talent and that many opportunities to win MLB’s ultimate prize and sans 95, consistently fails to do so? No offense! But they do this every year in the playoffs.

Successful?

[CameronDuke]

Successful?

If you say so! I don’t disagree that regular season success is important. But to me as a fan, I would trade that many division titles for more than 1 World Series ring in that time span. But I value winning it all more than division titles, which is where I’m interpreting you differ in philosophy compared to me.

Like, in that timeframe since the 90s, these are all clubs that have more World Series titles than the Braves that I’d consider more successful: Marlins, Yankees, Giants, Red Sox, Cardinals, Blue Jays. I’m not saying the Braves aren’t a successful franchise in the regular season, but that seems to be their goal. They, and seemingly their fan base, are cool with winning the division title and blowing the playoffs. I’m not saying winning in the playoffs is easy. But tonight for example - being up 5-2 with 1 out in the bottom of the 8th - I’m sorry, but that’s a game you gotta win. The win probability for the Braves at that stage of the game had to have been 95+%. They blew that game. Their relief pitchers did, at least. I get what you’re saying that winning is hard and saying they “choked” is harsh, but maybe I’m disagreeing that being up 5-2 in the bottom of the 8th with 5 outs left, that isn’t a hard game to win at that juncture. You gotta win that game at that stage of it. Same with game 3 of the 1996 World Series at home vs the Yankees up 2-0 in the series. We’ve seen this all too much from the Braves.