Dodger Thoughts

In Managing, Pitching, Postseason

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By Jon Weisman

On Friday, Don Mattingly was hit hard for not replacing Clayton Kershaw with J.P. Howell in the seventh inning.

Tonight, in the Dodgers’ 3-2 victory over St. Louis in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Mattingly got almost as much grief when he replaced Zack Greinke with Howell.

Howell, whom it seems safe to say is in a slump after being at the top of his game for nearly the entire regular season, gave up a game-tying two-run homer to Matt Carpenter, the batter he would have faced with the bases loaded if Kershaw had been pulled one batter sooner.

It showed pretty starkly why Mattingly was reluctant to give up on his best pitcher in Game 1.

Matt Kemp, grinder

In Postgame, Postseason

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By Jon Weisman

This was big. It was loud in here tonight. We continue to grind.

I just continue to grind. This is where I want to be. Last year, it was tough, battling the injuries, but I came back strong, I kept grinding, my teammates were behind me, my family was behind me, we kept grinding and here we are now.

This was big right here. On this stage, in the playoffs, this was a must win for us, we needed this. Gonna continue to grind, go to St. Louis and get two more wins.

We told each other when J.P gave up that home run, we’re gonna back him up. We were gonna find a way to win this game. That’s what good teams do. We back each other up when we make mistakes. We just keep on going.

— Matt Kemp

A.J. Ellis’ bat comes to life

In Health/injuries, Postseason, Pregame

For more Saturday photos, visit LA Photog Blog.

Cardinals at Dodgers, 6:37 p.m.
Cardinals
Matt Carpenter, 3B
Jon Jay, CF
Matt Holliday, LF
Matt Adams, 1B
Jhonny Peralta, SS
Yadier Molina, C
Kolten Wong, 2B
Randal Grichuk, RF
Lance Lynn, P

Dodgers
Dee Gordon, 2B
Yasiel Puig, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, RF
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Carl Crawford, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Zack Greinke, P

By Jon Weisman

As odd as it might be in October, A.J. Ellis is in his best physical shape of the year.

That helps account for the smashing game he had in Friday’s National League Division Series opener.

Ellis singled in the second and third innings, pounded a two-run homer in the sixth that at the time seemed to put the game away, and then even started the Dodgers’ near-comeback in the ninth with his fourth hit of the game.

The night gave Ellis a .450 on-base percentage and .722 slugging percentage in 41 career postseason plate appearances.

Don Mattingly discussed the 33-year-old catcher’s season before tonight’s game …

Orel Hershiser’s postseason stumble

In History

What pitcher blew a lead in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series against the Cardinals, then blew another lead in his very next postseason game — during a Cy Young-winning season?

Orel Hershiser.

– Jon Weisman

Closing out Game 1, moving on to Game 2

In Bullpen, In case you missed it, Pitching, Postseason

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By Jon Weisman

Over in the far-off reaches of the American League, the Detroit Tigers bullpen has been absolutely battered. In both his playoff games, Detroit manager Brad Ausmus has been ripped for removing a pitcher too soon.

Neither of those occasions came with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. Neither of them came in an inning that began after Clayton Kershaw had retired 16 of his last 17 batters with eight strikeouts, using only 74 pitches over that stretch and 81 in the game to that point.

I’m sympathetic to the argument that by the time nemesis Matt Carpenter came to bat in the seventh inning of Friday’s loss to the Cardinals, 21 pitches later, Kershaw was on thin ice. But I’m having trouble believing that anytime before that, Don Mattingly would have received less criticism for turning the final seven, eight or nine outs of the game to middle relief that has been darkly questioned all year long.

That’s not at all to say the bullpen would have failed, though the walk and home run surrendered by Pedro Baez to his first two batters was not reassuring — and J.P. Howell, who would have faced John Jay with the bases loaded in the seventh if many had had their way, allowed a leadoff single to Jay in the ninth.

It’s simply that between 1) a Kershaw that was allowing singles but also striking batters out, or 2) a fresh Howell or Baez, not only is the choice basically a tossup, but choosing the bullpen is betting against the player that has come through more often than any other pitcher in the game.

Put more bluntly: Imagine the reaction if Clayton Kershaw was in the dugout, having thrown 102 pitches on eight days’ rest, if and when the Dodgers lost their lead.

No one knows better than Kershaw that he didn’t come through. But if you think that he was destined to fail, or if you think he can’t win in the playoffs, or if you don’t think he can come back in his next start from the rare adversity that strikes, I don’t know what pitcher you’ve been watching all this time.

As for the struggles of the 2014 bullpen itself …

Kershaw: ‘It’s an awful feeling to let your teammates down’

In Postseason

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By Jon Weisman

The postgame interview with Clayton Kershaw added awkwardness to injury, as he led a swarming media contingent in search of room to breathe, starting at his locker, moving just outside the clubhouse, then near an unused stairwell in the adjacent hallway.

Downcast, Kershaw was asked if he was in shock after a 6-1, sixth-inning Dodger lead had become a 10-9 defeat. But surprise had nothing to do with the responsibility he felt.

“I’m not in shock,” Kershaw said. “I feel terrible. It’s an awful feeling to let your teammates down.

Skyfall

In Postgame, Postseason

By Jon Weisman

The sky, like the game, didn’t know what color to be.

An afternoon that had been so bright and so cathartic turned into a night so humbling, so fast.

Retiring 16 batters in a row between solo home runs in the first and sixth innings, Clayton Kershaw was painting poetry. And the Dodger offense, put on edge again by another plunking by a St. Louis pitcher, responded gloriously, reaching base 13 of the 26 times they came to the plate against Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright, struggling from the first inning to his fifth and last, to build a 6-2 lead in Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

A.J. Ellis with hit after hit after hit, including a two-run home run. Matt Kemp with three hits. Yasiel Puig on base four times. Carl Crawford, Hanley Ramirez busting through with two hits apiece.

Then day turned into night, and blue turned into black.

Renewing the cycle of insanity

In Postseason, Thinking out loud

By Jon Weisman

Most postseason games since last World Series appearance
44 Oakland A’s (1990)
39 Atlanta Braves (1999)
39 Los Angeles Dodgers (1988)

Today, the Dodgers will move past Atlanta for the most National League playoff games since last appearing in the World Series. In 11 days or less, they could pass Oakland for the most in the Majors.

This, to say the least, is a sword with at least two edges. It sure beats sitting at home and watching year after year, as the Dodgers did between 1989 and 1995 or between 1997 and 2003. But the so-close-yet-so-far treatment can be just punishing.

Nearly five hours before today’s NLDS first pitch against the Cardinals, the tension is higher than it’s been since last October. This isn’t a do-or-die game, as much as you might want it or as frustrating as it might be to lose it. No team is dead in a five-game series after one game. Yet already, you can probably feel your knots are in knots. Every pitch is impossibly fraught with importance.

Here in Los Angeles, the Lakers used to make this look easy, automatic. After of decades of disappointment, the Kings have found the glory. For the past 25-plus years, the Dodgers and their fans have pined for it.

You don’t wave a wand. You win by executing the most mundane tasks at the most important times. You place a bat on a ball, you locate a pitch, you position a defender within millimeters of the right spot, or you lose.

It is irrational to have such enormous hopes and dreams ride on margins so infinitesimal. And yet, here we go. Again.

Dodgers release NLDS roster

In Postseason

By Jon Weisman

The Dodgers will go with eight relievers and a bench of five players on their 2014 National League Division Series roster.

Here’s how it breaks down:

Starting pitchers (4): Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Dan Haren

Relief pitchers (8): Pedro Baez, Scott Elbert, Carlos Frias, J.P. Howell, Brandon League, Kenley Jansen, Brian Wilson, Jamey Wright

Starting lineup (8): A.J. Ellis, Adrian Gonzalez, Dee Gordon, Hanley Ramirez, Juan Uribe, Carl Crawford, Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp

Reserves (5): Drew Butera, Andre Ethier, Miguel Rojas, Justin Turner, Scott Van Slyke

Clayton Kershaw is fired up — but not because of you-know-what

On October 2, 2014

In Postseason

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tg4jQAZ_cw&w=550&h=413]
By Jon Weisman

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

“Why doesn’t anybody ask me what it feels like to win?”

Clayton Kershaw hasn’t had to field many questions lately about his negatives. Since the end of May, the only game he has lost was one in which he went nine innings, walked none and struck out 11.

But as predicted, the memories of his National League Championship Series Game 6 defeat at St. Louis have swamped those of the 0.47 postseason ERA he had last year going into that game. And as the quote up top shows, it didn’t take long for him to grow a little impatient with that particular line of interrogation at today’s media session.

The loss stung, and he has studied it, but it is not fuel for his fire. The fire within burns on its own.

“I guess the experience of it more than anything,” is what Kershaw took from the 2013 postseason.

“I had some successes in the postseason last year,” he said. “I had some good starts. I had a bad one to end the season. I kind of use both of those. But as far as motivation, I don’t need any extra motivation. I haven’t won a World Series yet — that’s plenty.”

Hyun-Jin Ryu cleared to start NLDS Game 3

On October 2, 2014

In Health/injuries, Postseason

By Jon Weisman

Hyun-Jin Ryu reported no ill effects from his simulated game Wednesday, and Don Mattingly today announced him as the starting pitcher for National League Division Series Game 3 in St. Louis on Monday.

Mattingly said that there would be no pitch limit beyond the usual “100-110” for Ryu, who came back from a similar shoulder issue in May and threw 89 pitches over six innings in New York.

Ryu himself told reporters today that he feels better now than he did for that New York start.

Mattingly also confirmed that Dan Haren is scheduled to start Game 4, though the rest of the world is mindful that Clayton Kershaw pitched the first and fourth games of the 2013 NLDS. Neither Mattingly nor Kershaw, of course, would engage in any discussion that he might step in this year, but Kershaw did acknowledge that “last year I was fine with it” physically.

In addition, Mattingly said that the Dodgers are “98-99 percent” done determining their NLDS roster, but discussions were not finished. He did say that pitchers Kevin Correia and Chris Perez have been told they won’t be on it.

Dodgers Top 50: The best plays of the second half

On October 2, 2014

In Defense, History

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

At the halfway point of the 2014 season, we gave you the Dodgers’ top 40 plays of the first 81 games. Without further ado, as part of our drumbeat of excitement heading into the postseason, here are the Dodgers’ top plays of the second half — with a bonus 10 to deliver a nice 50.

Yeah, you’re gonna want to be here a while …

* * *

June 29 vs. St. Louis: Adrian Gonzalez teaches the Cardinals a lesson about the shift.

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Hyun-Jin Ryu throws 45 pitches in simulated game

On October 1, 2014

In Health/injuries

From the Dodgers:

Dodger left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu threw a 45 pitch, 3.0-inning simulated game this afternoon on the mound at Dodger Stadium. Ryu was at his normal velocity and used all of his pitches with no problems before, during or after with his shoulder. He will be re-examined tomorrow to determine how the shoulder responded. Ryu faced several Dodger hitters, including Matt Kemp, Yasiel Puig, Andre Ethier, Carl Crawford, Dee Gordon and Scott Van Slyke.

— Jon Weisman

Dodger Insider magazine — October edition