Dodger Thoughts

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

Tag: Matt Carpenter

Whoever’s pitching, Matt Carpenter is hammering

By

On October 4, 2014

In Managing, Pitching, Postseason

[mlbvideo id=”36752407″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]
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.

Read More

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

By

On October 3, 2014

In Postseason

[mlbvideo id=”36737873″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]
HallBy 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.

Read More

Skyfall

By

On October 3, 2014

In Postgame, Postseason

Sky2

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.

Read More

Buy ‘The Catch: A novel’

What happens when three old friends in crisis fall into an unexpected love triangle? In The Catch, Maya, Henry and Daniel embark upon an emotional journey that forces them to confront unresolved pain, present-day traumas and powerful desires, leading them to question the very meaning of love and fulfillment. The Catch tells a tale of ordinary people seeking the extraordinary – or, if that’s asking too much, some damn peace of mind.

Click here to order The Catch in paperback.

Click here to order The Catch on Kindle.

Buy ‘Brothers in Arms’

‘Brothers in Arms’ coverage

Instagram

Twitter

Recent posts

Other writing by Jon

Archives

Commenting guidelines

Thank You For Not ...
1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with

Attendance

1991-2013
Dodgers at home: 1,028-812 (.558695)
When Jon attended: 338-267 (.558677)*
When Jon didn’t: 695-554 (.556)
* includes road games attended

2013
Dodgers at home: 51-35 (.593)
When Jon attended: 5-2 (.714)
When Jon didn’t: 46-33 (.582)

Note: I got so busy working for the Dodgers that in 2014, I stopped keeping track, much to my regret. 

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén