*** OFFICIAL *** MLB 2021 Thread

[Texter]

Roberts is going to be roasted the entire offseason for the idiotic 8th inning appearance in Game 2. He has looked bad from the start tonight, even before the HR derby started.

Getting out of the 1st unscathed was misleading.

Actually, it will publicly be Roberts, but I have heard that Friedman sent the command from above to use Urias both on Sunday and today.

That Urias 8th was a total bed shit…LA on the verge of getting bounced because Roberts is an idiot.

Should have been axed after starting Darvish in game 7 vs the stros

[Sanlmar]

Roberts is going to be roasted the entire offseason for the idiotic 8th inning appearance in Game 2. He has looked bad from the start tonight, even before the HR derby started.

Getting out of the 1st unscathed was misleading.

Actually, it will publicly be Roberts, but I have heard that Friedman sent the command from above to use Urias both on Sunday and today.

That Urias 8th was a total bed shit…LA on the verge of getting bounced because Roberts is an idiot.

Should have been axed after starting Darvish in game 7 vs the stros

Re-read Druffs post. If you think Roberts has the latitude to wing it and use Scherzer and Urias out of the pen you don’t understand the role of the manager in the age of analytics. Roberts is just a vessel for the front office. These were a decisions that were scripted ahead of time. Apparantly they believed that line had some kind of value. The Red Sox nerds (Chiam Bloom) who attended the same Tampa Bay math class as Friedman seemed to share the same trendy thinking (Eovoldi).

Not using or trusting the bullpen that won 107 is an interesting line of thinking. The Dodger playoff bullpen construction and management is perhaps the biggest reason for their decade long shortcomings.

[Sanlmar]

Oh, why not…

2019 NLDS: Clayton Kershaw ‘Ready To Go’ Out Of Dodgers Bullpen In Game 5

Oops

Bonus
Announcing your intentions so the Nationals could prepare was legendary stupidity. Back to back HR’s by Nats.

[Dan Druff]

It was just such a dumb decision because they are already short starting pitching, plus Scherzer admittedly has a dead arm.

So if you want to get max time out of your remaining starters (which you should), the last thing you do is throw one into the 8th inning 3 days beforehand, especially if your bullpen has been owning heads as of late.

Now we've got this domino effect going. Urias not only lost that game, but he was bad today right from the start. The bullpen had to take over earlier than expected, which now burned them for Game 5. The team is now down 3-1 and has to play 2 of the last 3 in Atlanta.

Honestly despite the expected freefall in ticket prices, I'm not even sure if I want to go. Part of me wonders what's the point. Even if they win tomorrow, will they win BOTH in Atlanta, given that all 3 starters look worn out, and the bullpen is finally starting to get tired as well? Not likely. So at best I'll have a good time at the game but they will probably lose the series.

Kinda similar to that 18-inning marathon I saw in person in 2018 versus Boston. But at least that was a Wolrd Series game, and the Dodgers weren't in as bad of a spot at that point.

[Dan Druff]

Speaking of which... the Sawks are really shitting the bed themselves.

Is anyone going to watch a Cheatstros versus Braves series?

[Sanlmar]

Speaking of which... the Sawks are really shitting the bed themselves.

Is anyone going to watch a Cheatstros versus Braves series?

Dodgers have not been a model of virtue either. Don’t go there with the holier than thou nonsense.

[HoodedN]

Are the Astros up to their old tricks again? I’ll let you smart people be the judge as I am admittedly a bit biased here.

https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/...cheating-again

[Texter]

Also Dodgers, how many slap hits to left field are you going to watch dribble past the shift before you learn.

[Texter]

Speaking of which... the Sawks are really shitting the bed themselves.

Is anyone going to watch a Cheatstros versus Braves series?

I’ll watch…goooo Astros in that case.

Thought about tickets…nosebleeds at $270 plus fees…blah

[Texter]

The Sox manager Alex Cora was the mastermind of the Astros sign stealing.

How are the Stos even getting the signs in Boston?

[Dan Druff]

Embedded Tweet

https://twitter.com/ToddWitteles/status/1451354409577811969


I was on the toilet at 2:30 (game started at 5:08) and had resigned myself to the fact that I wasn't going. Prices fell, but not enough for my taste. Series seemed hopeless, and even today's game had blowout written all over it. I didn't want to lay down a lot of Jew gold, sit in LA traffic, just to see the Dodgers get blown out and see their series end.

Then I saw a pair of tickets pop up on Stubhub, and I couldn't resist. Second row of the loge (second) level, almost right behind home plate. Two tickets, $161 each, with preferred parking ($75 value) thrown in free. Probably the very best deal offered on Stubhub for that game, value-wise.

Snapped it, up, and rapidly got ready. Took Benjamin, battled LA traffic (using some of my favorite tricks to skip past the worst parts), and I got to my seats just as the 1st inning was finishing up. Dodgers down 2-0 and had already lost Joe Kelly.

Then AJ Pollock hit a home run, cutting it to 2-1. Then Pujols singled, and Chris Taylor followed it up with another HR. Suddenly Dodgers up 3-2.

They slowly extended that lead, putting runs on the board in the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th (in addition to the 2nd, as described above).

Chris Taylor ended up with 3 HR, going 4-for-5, and driving in 6. Pollock had 2 HR and drove in 4.

Beautiful. Ben loved it. He said his voice was hoarse at the end. Weather was beautiful (72 degrees at game time, and probably around 65 when it was over).

Was the opposite of last night's failgame. Even the weather was better tonight.

Chris Taylor and Trea Turner have switched bodies or something. Taylor was horrible in August/September, and is owning the postseason super hard. Trea Turner was awesome in August and September, but has been really bad in the postseason.

Still gonna be some battle to win the final two in Atlanta. They're now short Joe Kelly, Clayton Kershaw, Max Muncy, and Justin Turner.

Oh... David Price is likely coming onto the roster in Kelly's place. Sanlmar may get to see him after all.


Dodgers are now 11-1 in postseason games I've attended in 2013, only losing to the Nationals in 2019.

[Sanlmar]

Oh... David Price is likely coming onto the roster in Kelly's place. Sanlmar may get to see him after all.


Dodgers are now 11-1 in postseason games I've attended in 2013.

I was sitting on the toilet thinking what a value David Price is for the Dodgers. He personally collects $32 million this year but the Dodgers only pay him $16 million. I’m not Jewish but I think I experience the same rush.

I have to admit the Dodgers have turned around some pretty sorry pitchers. Best example: Joe Kelly was wild and a public threat. He is now (or was) tremendous. Awful David Price was apparently immune to similar improvement. The pitching coaches prolly threatened to quit or something.

That game appeared to be a sure fire loss. It started out as scripted then something weird happened after the 1st inning. About mid game I figured it out. Druff got tickets . The games Druff goes to have that discounted day old bread (loser) whiff to them but they always turn out to be Dodger winners.

A heads up woulda been nice. Wormhole.

[Jayjami]

It was just such a dumb decision because they are already short starting pitching, plus Scherzer admittedly has a dead arm.

So if you want to get max time out of your remaining starters (which you should), the last thing you do is throw one into the 8th inning 3 days beforehand, especially if your bullpen has been owning heads as of late.

Now we've got this domino effect going. Urias not only lost that game, but he was bad today right from the start. The bullpen had to take over earlier than expected, which now burned them for Game 5. The team is now down 3-1 and has to play 2 of the last 3 in Atlanta.

Honestly despite the expected freefall in ticket prices, I'm not even sure if I want to go. Part of me wonders what's the point. Even if they win tomorrow, will they win BOTH in Atlanta, given that all 3 starters look worn out, and the bullpen is finally starting to get tired as well? Not likely. So at best I'll have a good time at the game but they will probably lose the series.

Kinda similar to that 18-inning marathon I saw in person in 2018 versus Boston. But at least that was a Wolrd Series game, and the Dodgers weren't in as bad of a spot at that point.

The Dodgers shot their load chasing the Giants. Now it’s coming home to roost in the form of injuries and tired arms. Their roster is loaded though, so they are not out of it yet.

[NickyPipes]

It was just such a dumb decision because they are already short starting pitching, plus Scherzer admittedly has a dead arm.

So if you want to get max time out of your remaining starters (which you should), the last thing you do is throw one into the 8th inning 3 days beforehand, especially if your bullpen has been owning heads as of late.

Now we've got this domino effect going. Urias not only lost that game, but he was bad today right from the start. The bullpen had to take over earlier than expected, which now burned them for Game 5. The team is now down 3-1 and has to play 2 of the last 3 in Atlanta.

Honestly despite the expected freefall in ticket prices, I'm not even sure if I want to go. Part of me wonders what's the point. Even if they win tomorrow, will they win BOTH in Atlanta, given that all 3 starters look worn out, and the bullpen is finally starting to get tired as well? Not likely. So at best I'll have a good time at the game but they will probably lose the series.

Kinda similar to that 18-inning marathon I saw in person in 2018 versus Boston. But at least that was a Wolrd Series game, and the Dodgers weren't in as bad of a spot at that point.

I hope you are not teaching your son this negative type of thinking, not that I want to criticize you as a parents because I am a father and I realize that’s not appropriate. But I do mean it, you should not promote this type of defeatist attitude around an impressionable young man and expect him to have a Championship Mentality.

It’s pathetic really.

Do you know that my father used to bring me to Florida Marlins games when they were the worst team in the league on Sundays?

When I would “get upset” that my dad was gone all the time, my mom would say “who brought you to the marlins game last week?”

Do you know who brought me? My Dad

Think about that before admitting defeat when the sun is still shining And the birds are still chirping

[Sanlmar]

Scherzer a scratch for Game 6. Dead arm.

Ben shall suffer as Druff has suffered. The cycle of pain.

The series futures are off the board for me but maybe you have a slow book.

David Price?

[Dan Druff]

Scherzer a scratch for Game 6. Dead arm.

Ben shall suffer as Druff has suffered. The cycle of pain.

The series futures are off the board for me but maybe you have a slow book.

David Price?

Options very thin.

Buehler has looked tired for awhile, and pitching him on short rest isn't the answer.

Price... is Price.

Gonsolin has gotten hit hard this postseason, and never looked like he really "had it" when he wasn't injured in 2021. He had a 3.23 ERA and was 4-1 in 2021, but it sure didn't feel like it.

Laugh all you want, but this series is where a healthy Kershaw would have been very useful.

[Sheesfaced]

Scherzer a scratch for Game 6. Dead arm.

Ben shall suffer as Druff has suffered. The cycle of pain.

The series futures are off the board for me but maybe you have a slow book.

David Price?

Options very thin.

Buehler has looked tired for awhile, and pitching him on short rest isn't the answer.

Price... is Price.

Gonsolin has gotten hit hard this postseason, and never looked like he really "had it" when he wasn't injured in 2021. He had a 3.23 ERA and was 4-1 in 2021, but it sure didn't feel like it.

Laugh all you want, but this series is where a healthy Kershaw would have been very useful.

They’re actually going with Buehler on short rest which is… something. Not sure what the plan for game 7 would be if Scherzer can’t go. If they know he can’t and it’s going to have to be a bullpen game why wouldn’t you go bullpen game 6 and Buehler regular rest game 7?

[simpdog]

Options very thin.

Buehler has looked tired for awhile, and pitching him on short rest isn't the answer.

Price... is Price.

Gonsolin has gotten hit hard this postseason, and never looked like he really "had it" when he wasn't injured in 2021. He had a 3.23 ERA and was 4-1 in 2021, but it sure didn't feel like it.

Laugh all you want, but this series is where a healthy Kershaw would have been very useful.

They’re actually going with Buehler on short rest which is… something. Not sure what the plan for game 7 would be if Scherzer can’t go. If they know he can’t and it’s going to have to be a bullpen game why wouldn’t you go bullpen game 6 and Buehler regular rest game 7?

Have to get to game 7 in order to worry about it.

Buehler will be on a short leash but you have to hope you can get 5 from him and be tied or winning.

[Sheesfaced]

They’re actually going with Buehler on short rest which is… something. Not sure what the plan for game 7 would be if Scherzer can’t go. If they know he can’t and it’s going to have to be a bullpen game why wouldn’t you go bullpen game 6 and Buehler regular rest game 7?

Have to get to game 7 in order to worry about it.

Buehler will be on a short leash but you have to hope you can get 5 from him and be tied or winning.

Yeah I guess so; could be them thinking if they get to game 7 all the pressure is on Atlanta given last year and Atlanta sports history, but hard for me to fathom it’s the +EV play to start Buehler on short rest further taxing your pen before a game 7 bullpen game. But it’s the Dodgers. Also maybe they think Scherzer can go with extra day. Who knows.

[Dan Druff]

Yeah I don't get this at all. It's not like Buehler is having a 1988-Hershiser-like postseason and just mowing everyone down, so you start using him in nontraditional roles to fill gaps.

Here Buehler has had a hard time in his nornal starts, dating back to the end of the regular season. Like Scherzer, he is clearly tired. Starting him on short rest is a



Also a big WTF moment for me at Game 5 was seeing them bring out Kenley Jansen to pitch the 9th in a 11-2 blowout. Why?? Kenley has actually been good this postseason, for once. They're short on good pitching. WHY waste him with a 9 run lead?

I believe the thinking here is that "one more day" could be enough to get Scherzer's arm live enough to squeeze out a final start. I don't think it's happening. You could probably give his arm 2 weeks rest and he wouldn't feel right. He probably needs a long period of time to recover. That also begs the question what the Dodgers will do if they luck out and make the World Series, if his arm is still dead.

I would try to see what I could get out of Gonsolin, but keep him on a short leash. If he pitches well enough, then get several innings out of him and/or pull him as soon as he starts to falter. Maybe you'll even get lucky and jump on Ian Anderson in the 1st (he has a huge problem with the first inning), and it allows Gonsolin to cruise. Then if you have a big enough lead, let Price eat some innings, and you can pull off a surprising convincing win like in Game 5.

Maybe the books know something, because Dodgers are -145 here, but if I weren't a Dodgers fan I would totally fire Braves +135 here.