Dodger Thoughts

Jon Weisman's outlet for dealing psychologically with the Los Angeles Dodgers, baseball and life

National League Division Series Oh Boy Game 3 chat

Seems like most of the National League Division Series material I read today isn’t about today’s Game 3, but rather Monday’s Game 4 and whether Clayton Kershaw will start for the Dodgers on three days’ rest.

For what it’s worth, I’m not as gung-ho about using Kershaw on Monday if the Dodgers lose tonight. I mean, I realize you pretty much have to use him, but the downside is you really don’t know how pitching four days after a 124-pitch outing will affect him, both in terms of overall effectiveness and duration.

But for now, the focus should be on tonight’s Game 3, which offers a pretty great matchup between Hyun-Jin Ryu (amid some mystery of his overall health) and Julio Teheran, with the stakes the highest we’ve seen all year. After dominating Game 1 and coming within several different eyelashes of stealing Game 2, the Dodgers would seem to be well-positioned to take the upper hand of the series at home. But of course, I’ll be sitting on the edge of my fingernails like the rest of you.

Braves at Dodgers, 5:07 p.m.

Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Yasiel Puig, RF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Skip Schumaker, CF
A.J. Ellis, C
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P

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271 Comments

  1. RBI

    About to go inside the stadium. I am SO excited!

    • NoahUCLA

      I’m on my way. I’m catching a Hanley home run tonight and donating it to DT.

  2. Jack Dawkins

    TBS spends 5-10 minutes talking about the shark tank in Pittsbrgh and how dominent their bullpen has been in the series. Next Batter, Beltran, sends a bomb to center.
    Please dont praise the dodger bullpen today.

  3. 14hodges

    So nervous. Please, please let Ryu be his best at-home self. Dodger bats, please awake together.

  4. 4d3fect

    Those of you going, be well, and represent.

  5. John_from_Aus

    1 more Ryu

  6. WinnipegDave

    Drat.

  7. Okay, I’m panicking.

  8. Dang it. Bats better be active tonight.

  9. Now I’m REALLY panicking.

  10. RBI

    Okay, we seriously need to get those back!

  11. WinnipegDave

    Maybe the Dodger crowd should do some sort of 1st Nations/Native American chant to get the stadium rocking. Or not.

  12. WinnipegDave

    That will help stay out of the conventional DP. And maybe even a few unconventional ones as well.

  13. WinnipegDave

    Let’s go Han Ram.

  14. John_from_Aus

    pop one over the fence to calm us all down

  15. Not too reassuring.

  16. RBI

    Rats.

  17. Here you go, all you DTers inside the stadium:

    we sang:
    “Oh, pil seung Ko-re-a, oh, pil seung Ko-re-a, oh, pil seung Ko-re-a,
    o- ho-o-ho-o HEY HEY HEY!” (We had a good time trying to figure out the
    words to that one; it means “certain victory” in Korean.)

    http://www.noaura.com/korea2.html

  18. WinnipegDave

    I think Ryu settles down from here and keep things close.

  19. Nice inning Hyun-Jin!

  20. scooplew

    I just got home. I missed the first inning. Was Ryu hit hard?

  21. John_from_Aus

    C’mon skip

  22. scooplew

    As this series continues, I feel we will be missing Ethier more and more.

  23. DS1981

    Being in a hole right away in baseball is just a killer. Players start pressing, pitchers too, takes the crowd out of the game, etc.

  24. Time for Baby Ryuth!

  25. Bob_Hendley

    CC my baby!

  26. WinnipegDave

    Crawford!!!!

  27. Jack Dawkins

    Earl Weaver offense! Love it!

  28. PIcked a perfect time to find his power swing again!

  29. scooplew

    Goodness Gracious!

  30. John_from_Aus

    Yahoo!!

    • scooplew

      Are you at work now?

      • John_from_Aus

        at home on school holidays

        • scooplew

          Spring break?

          • John_from_Aus

            yep, popping in to work tomorrow to do some work while the students are not there (with the game on as I work!). Back at work properly Monday

  31. WinnipegDave

    There are the Dodgers 2 out runs!

  32. Jack Dawkins

    I am officially overdosed on TBS and their love of the term “shutdown innning.”

  33. Settle down now Ryu…

  34. scooplew

    DP! (in lieu of KT.)

  35. alex7

    Ryu keeps missing up in the zone. HR territory.

  36. John_from_Aus

    Triple play?

  37. Alex7

    Feels like Capuano time almost regardless of what happens here.

  38. Alex7

    why wouldn’t you come home with that grounder?

    • Alex7

      ehh, looking at the replay Adrian was pulled off a bit towards the 2nd base side.

    • scooplew

      Gonzalez was playing deep at first.

      • Alex7

        hit really hard though, thought at first he had a shot at home.

        • scooplew

          He might have, but he had a sure DP had Ryu found the first-base bag.

  39. scooplew

    What was Ryu (not) thinking? OMG.

    • rumped6

      Dinna worry: Harold Reynolds assured everyone listening to MLB this weekend
      that Ryu’s stints in the WBC would have him ice for this start:-).

      And he got no help from his catcher on that foolish throw home. Passive AJ strikes again.

      I’ also keep scratching my head that Clayton’s pitch count was apparently limitless,
      while Zach was done at 84, and now the [possible best arm in baseball might be jeopardized
      again if Ds lose this one.

      Donnie has Joe Torre disease?

  40. He’s not long for this game.

  41. scooplew

    Nice to have a glove man like Uribe at 3rd.

  42. RBI

    Ryu costing himself two outs and at least one run there.

  43. Spence

    This game might be a battle of the bullpens with the way the starters are going

  44. John_from_Aus

    That actually could have been a lot worse

  45. John_from_Aus

    So we start again

  46. John_from_Aus

    Nice start Hanley

  47. Jack Dawkins

    Lead off runner on all 3 innings.

  48. The butter & eggs man!

  49. John_from_Aus

    Nice!

  50. John_from_Aus

    Lets hold the lead now (and increase it)

  51. WinnipegDave

    This is turning into Denver vs Dallas.

  52. foul tip

    About time for one of those Puig swings to connect.

  53. 4d3fect

    Hit it to Gattis!

  54. John_from_Aus

    That sort of worked out Ok

  55. Alex7

    Nice aggressive slide by Adrian.

  56. Jack Dawkins

    Puig trying to cost us a game again.

  57. HIt it to Gattis indeed!

  58. Alex7

    Tehran throwing pitches down the middle of the plate. Might be his last inning as well.

  59. Bob_Hendley

    Skippy!

  60. John_from_Aus

    Does Ryu bat if AJ gets on?

  61. WinnipegDave

    This has been a long 3 innings.

  62. Capuano warming in the pen.

  63. WinnipegDave

    One more hit!

  64. John_from_Aus

    Just saw McCann RBi ground out come up on gameday, I see what you all mean

  65. WinnipegDave

    Either time?

  66. Both starters are done.

  67. WinnipegDave

    A double here would be heavenly.

  68. scooplew

    Time for Young to hit his first homer as a Dodger.

  69. das411

    man oh man it’s amazing what deep lineups can do

    • Bob_Hendley

      ex-Filly!

      • das411

        eh you can have him, that’s kind of like saying shane victorin…er, maybe more like mike edwards is an ex-dodger!

  70. bluegeorge

    Take him to the Wood-shed!

  71. 4d3fect

    Simmons to Gattis: “this is how it’s done grandpa”

  72. Jack Dawkins

    Ripkin christens Young as a professional hitter.

  73. WinnipegDave

    I stand by my comment: a double here would be heavenly!

  74. 4d3fect

    McCann: not playing the game the right way.

  75. Where’s Jerry Hairston Jr. when you need him?

  76. scooplew

    When was the last time a Dodger starting pitcher didn’t make it to the 4th inning?

  77. John_from_Aus

    Hopefully we can keep the 2 run lead this time

  78. Jack Dawkins

    Ok, time to make Ned look like a genius for putting cap on the playoff roster.

  79. scooplew

    Getting Heyward on that 3-1 pitch was huge.

  80. John_from_Aus

    Nice Cappy!

  81. 4d3fect

    Time to break out a can of whup-a** on the Barves bullpen.

  82. I feel like that little dog in the Traveler’s insurance commercial. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea2elPCEfqk

    Worry, worry, worry.

    • John_from_Aus

      Think Bobby McFerrin “Don’t worry, be happy” instead

  83. A couple more innings like that out of Cappy would be wonderful.

  84. WinnipegDave

    Carl needs to be the spark for the Dodgers this postseason.

  85. WinnipegDave

    Man, Han Ram is a beast. An absolute beast.

  86. Bob_Hendley

    Hanley Man!

  87. Jack Dawkins

    Mattingly wanted Hanley to have a healthy rest so he could show the world what a hitter he is. Hanley is upholding his end of that bargain.

  88. John_from_Aus

    nice insurance

  89. WinnipegDave

    Who is feeling less tense now? I know I am.

    • Bob_Hendley

      These Braves can score

      • WinnipegDave

        Granted, it may be temporary relief. But I will take this feeling for as long as I can.

  90. Twice AGon got squeezed on that pitch.

  91. foul tip

    AGon is just flat out cool a customer. Talk with McGwire, time out to field a foul ball with his battling glove, flip it into the stands, then nonchalantly right back to talking with McGwire.

    The AB didn’t go so well, so back to chatting with McGwire, I guess.

  92. WinnipegDave

    HR!!!!

  93. Bob_Hendley

    Uribear!

  94. WinnipegDave

    Big fly Juan!

  95. foul tip

    Well, not to worry about when the Dodger offense is going to show up.

  96. 4d3fect

    U!

  97. 4d3fect

    Ribe!

  98. Bob_Hendley

    Uribis

  99. das411

    man oh man now what will he and ryu sort of talk about??

    • foul tip

      Something on the order of “I helped bail your a… out, dude. Get ’em next time.”

  100. Jack Dawkins

    Over 2 hours to play 4 innings. I am not complaining however.

  101. Ok bull pen, let’s finish this off.

  102. PismoBruce

    Is it too early for a Booyah?!

  103. WBBsAs

    Now I’d like a nice easy 1-2-3.

    • SaMoDodger

      Theres a first time for everything. Hasnt been a 123 all game. But that was close enough.

  104. foul tip

    Appears Hanley is dead serious about this winning thing.

  105. foul tip

    Oooh, what white bear say after pitcher strike him out… Shame, shame. Rule 1 violation.

    Go now, talk with other cavemen about what do next.

  106. scooplew

    At the moment, the Dodgers are batting .352 in this series — 32-for-91.

  107. Jack Dawkins

    Starting to feel like our July offense may be back.

  108. Dodger fans mocking the braves chop chant, awesome.

  109. WinnipegDave

    Big smile on Hanley’s face!

  110. Belated URIBEAR!

  111. Bob_Hendley

    Go ahead and expand the strike zone.

  112. SaMoDodger

    Cap proving he was a good roster addition. Sad face from hairston.

  113. Getting his one walk per inning out of the way..

  114. RBI

    DP time!

  115. What is this with walking the leadoff man? I hope somebody’s warming up in the pen. I don’t trust Capuano to go very far.

    The folks at Braves Journal have written this game off, and partly it’s because of Capuano who they seem to think is a Braves-killer.

  116. WinnipegDave

    I love it when lead off walks lead to DP’s!

  117. scooplew

    Cappy continues to walk the tightrope.

    • WinnipegDave

      Yeah, but the net is still looking good and firm.

  118. WinnipegDave

    Sweet.

  119. Bob_Hendley

    Nice job Cappy.

  120. foul tip

    I know about Cappy’s 2 TJs and all that. But did he ever have overpowering stuff?

  121. TAFKA_Gagne55

    I’ll admit that I thought Volquez should have been the 11th pitcher when the roster was posted, but I’m quite content with Capuano’s performance today.

  122. WBBsAs

    No more Steiner, thank you!

  123. WinnipegDave

    Glad we are ahead by 6 because it makes it a whole lot easier to say – that was a beautifully executed DP by the Braves.

  124. foul tip

    That time out Cap caught whatever Marmol has—-3 IP, not a single hit, 3 Ks. But 3 BBs.

    Hope it’s not contagious.

  125. Jack Dawkins

    TBS says Howell pitches out of a yoga position, the downward facing dog.

  126. John_from_Aus

    2 nice sliders for strikeouts out of the zone there

  127. RBI

    Nancy Bea!

  128. TAFKA_Gagne55

    The chatter here has really died down. I guess the 6 run lead isn’t so interesting.

  129. Jack Dawkins

    As things stand I assume the scorer will give the potential win to Cappy.

    • WBBsAs

      The only reasonable choice, by the rules. Ryu did not go five.

  130. Oh please don’t get hurt out there guys…

  131. Bob_Hendley

    Careful CC.

  132. Alex7

    that lady looked so concerned. rare to see that reaction from a fan despite how much sense it makes.

    • Alex7

      and the guy she’s with is just delightfully clapping.

  133. ASW1

    Good thing he didn’t get hurt – losing Crawford would be a killer.

  134. ASW1

    Not having to use Kershaw on short rest is a beautiful thing, guys.

  135. John_from_Aus

    Is it time to take some players off the field who are a bit fragile, such as Hanley and maybe Crawford?

  136. John_from_Aus

    Nice Beli

  137. Jack Dawkins

    Ripken: “You don’t want to play with your backs against the wall.”

  138. ASW1

    That’s going to need a lot of ice later.

  139. 4d3fect

    Ouch Ouch Ouch

  140. Bob_Hendley

    Hairston and Butera households stirring.

  141. 4d3fect

    DRE!!

  142. WinnipegDave

    I really like it when Hanley is hot like this. Simply amazing!

  143. 4d3fect

    Thwack Thwack Thwack *sound of Braves being spanked*

  144. ASW1

    A cool dozen.

  145. ASW1

    Lucky number 13

  146. WinnipegDave

    At this moment – cool line score filled with 0’s, 2’s and 4’s.
    Oh, nevermind – Puig gets another RBI…

  147. foul tip

    Dodgers not too impressed with vaunted Braves bullpen, at least not tonight.

  148. foul tip

    So….Schu to pitch the 9th? ;-])

  149. scooplew

    The last time that the Dodgers scored as many as 13 runs in a post-season game was a 13-8 victory over the Yankees in the second game of the 1956 World Series. I don’t know if they ever scored more in the post-season.

    • foul tip

      TBS saw your comment and put it up as a graphic. You should demand a royalty.

      • scooplew

        Absolutely! Nice to know TBS is a fan of Jon Weisman and Dodgerthoughts, (LOL)

  150. Bob_Hendley

    Paco facing Reed Johnson.

  151. scooplew

    The Rodriguez-Heyward match-up is not working.

  152. WinnipegDave

    Oh Paco!

  153. Jack Dawkins

    So I think we should avoid Paco v Hayward from here on out.

  154. ASW1

    Well, I think we have established Heyward owns Paco

  155. scooplew

    Ironically, this would have been a game for League or Marmol.

  156. scooplew

    We’ve used the entire bullpen except for Withrow, Wilson and Jansen. I hope Nolasco is on his game tomorrow.

  157. Spence

    I’m really surprised the Braves thought Eliot Johnson/Freddy Garcia were better than Uggla/Maholm for their playoff roster. Freddy Garcia’s made 3 starts since June and they are giving him the ball with their season on the line.

  158. scooplew

    Darling just said Jansen is up in the pen. No way.

  159. Spence

    Dodgers are huge favorites tomorrow. -145 Today they were -141

  160. scooplew

    About to reach the four-hour mark. My wife is being very patient tonight (as usual).

  161. ASW1

    If the Dodgers do make it to the NLCS, I would consider Marmol or Volquez over Paco. I think Paco has used all his bullets this season.

  162. Jack Dawkins

    If we make it to next round, I anticipate a Marmol for Paco swap.

  163. WinnipegDave

    Sad to see a tired, struggling Paco. He was fun to watch throughout the season.

  164. scooplew

    I am first-guessing, not second-guessing. I think using Jansen tonight with a game tomorrow night is the wrong thing to do. Why not Wilson?

    • ASW1

      He only needs one out – not a big deal.

    • Spence

      Not sure what Donnie’s doing using Jansen in these blowout games. He’s only got so many pitches in his arm in a given year. Save em till you need em.

    • TAFKA_Gagne55

      With the postseason schedule the way it is, the only way someone could pitch three days in a row is the middle three games of the LCS or WS. So overuse isn’t much of an issue.

  165. WinnipegDave

    If it were to be done, better to be done quickly. Let’s finish this KJ.

  166. scooplew

    I enjoyed communicating with all of you tonight. Here’s to a victory on Monday Night Baseball.

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