NLCS Gamethread: Dodgers vs Brewers
- Thread starter DeadlySplitter
- Start date
I love what Craig Counsell has been doing with his pitching staff, including the Miley "opener" bit. If for no other reason than it is making "traditionalists" and John Smoltz melt down with indignation. In the age of specialization and playing match-ups, this was inevitable.
Sometimes you see some left on left matchups and you wonder how the batter ever gets a hit. I don't know why, but it looks so much tougher on tv than righty on righty matchups look.
Managers aren't going to jerk around their best starters like this during the regular season. You think Sale would go along with this type of strategy?
I feel for the guy, well, however you do that for someone on a $215 million dollar contract. He’s always class.
It would only work in the postseason, ideally down a game. You'd overhype something like "Sale starting on 3 days rest!" and then warm up Eovaldi, let him crush a righty-heavy lineup or else empty your opponent's bench, and then start Sale the next day.
The hell happened to the Dodgers offense, ranked 5th out of 30 regular season, looks like the 2018 Marlins.
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That's more or less what the Brewers did today, though obviously Miley is no Sale. Only thing is, Roberts didn't fall for it and he put lefties like Muncy and Bellinger in the lineup anyway (he didn't start them against Miley in Game 2).
Couldn't agree more. If Roberts is going to sit better bats against freaking Wade Miley because he's a LHP, make him pay. @SemperFidelisSox pointed this out early in the series.
It is the same thing with the shift to me--an exciting new way to look at how the game is played and get advantages based on a general slowness to adapt to change.
How would MLB even legislate it? You can’t mandate the number of batters a given pitcher has to face. I think it’s a brilliant move...
I wonder if we are seeing more challenges in the post-season because Girardi lost his job in part because of his failure to challenge a called hit-by-pitch in the alcs.
How long is the delay on TV? I’m watching the game and checking ESPN on my phone and they already have the game tied.
69 pitches is pretty wild.
I can't imagine any Sox starter is still trying to pitch through this though. Good on Counsell for sticking with his man.
I can't imagine any Sox starter is still trying to pitch through this though. Good on Counsell for sticking with his man.
You could make a rule that the same pitcher can't start multiple games in a row, it wouldn't entirely stop it, but would limit it some because you can't come back with the same guy tomorrow on regular rest.
Then they can make a rule that makes using the same relievers late in the game on consecutive days illegal
I'm not in favor of such a rule, just saying it would be easy to put that rule in place. And if/when such a rule happens it'll be because if openers/fake starting pitchers actually becomes a regular thing it will kill baseball gambling.
Kershaw when on can be the difference. Brewers may have lost this series in game 4 doing zippo on offense.
I get it, but baseball is almost always better served by a hands-off approach in these instances. Finding rules to pile on and "fix" things isn't needed--that's the beauty of the game that's been created. I'm saying it is doubtful it becomes a particularly "regular" thing because baseball adapts.
The Verlander/ Sale/ Kershaw tier and and undetermined group below them will never have this happen, obviously. In a situation like today's, now that it has been done and is something to consider, the value of platooning matchups will be reevaluated, lineups will change, and a team then gets stuck "having" to use Miley. Players that have less pronounced platoon splits will rise in value an inch, and so on.
I think a lot of this has to do with the Dodgers' roster construction, and was a really canny approach for Counsell on that level too; not just pure "gimmick."
If they actually want to keep that from happening I'm not sure what else they could do. You can't require a pitcher to get a set number of outs, and I don't like the idea of MLB requiring any pitcher to pitch to more than 1 batter. It would limit strategy somewhat, but to such a small degree that I don't think it would be noticeable.
I was reading up more on Kershaw's struggles in the postseason, and he's had a bizarre career. Since 2013 he has 9 playoff starts (including tonight) of at least 6 innings giving up zero or one run. On the other hand, he's given up 5 or more runs 7 times in his postseason career. He started in the NLDS on 3 days rest 4 straight years and had a 2.10 ERA in those starts with 34 Ks and 6 walks. He's also gotten no help at all from the pen (11 of the 14 baserunners the bullpen has inherited from him have scored). Mattingly also had a really bad habit of leaving him in too long in postseason games back when the Dodgers' relievers were poor, as his ERA in the 7th inning is several runs higher than in innings 1-6.
So basically, he's earned the reputation with a handful of high-profile blowups, but he also had many more good starts than I remembered.
So basically, he's earned the reputation with a handful of high-profile blowups, but he also had many more good starts than I remembered.
Just glanced at their respective records, pythags, and run diff:
LAD: 92-17 (actual) 102-61 (pythag) 804 RS, 610 RA
MIL: 96-67; 91-72; 754 RS, 659 RA
With the caveat that their bullpen is scary, I'm pulling for MIL. LA series would be fun though. That ten game underperformance in pythag can cut both ways I suppose.
LAD: 92-17 (actual) 102-61 (pythag) 804 RS, 610 RA
MIL: 96-67; 91-72; 754 RS, 659 RA
With the caveat that their bullpen is scary, I'm pulling for MIL. LA series would be fun though. That ten game underperformance in pythag can cut both ways I suppose.
Tonight: Milwaukee to force the longest possible series, maximizing injury potential.
Game 7: Doesn't much matter, I decided weeks ago the NL playoffs is the losers' bracket.
Dodgers made the WS last year - they are over those nerves and will come in and buckle down this year. Would much rather have Miluakee happy to be there. Plus as noted run differential above, Dodgers are just a better team.
Frank Thomas likes Dodgers chances to get to the World Series but “if they do they have to face the juggernaut in Boston.”
