Dodger Thoughts

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

National League Championship Series Game 4 chat

Cardinals at Dodgers, 5:07 p.m.

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Nolasco, Ramirez, Ethier to start NLCS Game 4

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Three for the show

249 Comments

  1. WinnipegDave

    Back to the Future… 1985… Cardinals beat the Dodgers… Dodgers win first 2 at home, then lose 4 straight… 2013 Cardinals win first 2 at home, then…

    Am I even close Jon?

  2. DeucesAreWild

    With today being the 25th anniversary of the Gibson home run, I also thought about the 1988 NLCS, and how the Gibson blast wouldn’t have been possible without the Scioscia HR, in Game 4, no less, with the Dodgers facing a 3-1 series deficit vs. Dwight Gooden. So let’s hope that this Game 4 brings similar success, and that it gets us on our way to another Championship. After all, the DeLorean had to reach 88 mph.

    • WBBsAs

      “DMC and its car might still have been salvageable through some sort of bankruptcy or reorganization process, but that all changed for the worst when John DeLorean was arrested in October of 1982, accused of trying to raise capital to save DMC by trading in cocaine. Within days, radio stations were running a parody commercial for a “DeLorean Snowmobile,” featuring “razor sharp” styling with “a stainless steel finish as smooth as a mirror” and a built-in car phone “to call your attorney.”

  3. dalegribel

    Most of all, I hope the Mouseketeers show up.

  4. DS1981

    OK, so another group of humorless bores, i mean baseball players is upset at the way Puig plays baseball. Somebody should alert these players what industry they are a part of. You know, the entertainment industry. So they bash the ONE player who actually tries to entertain people? Weird.

    • ASW1

      The problem with the players who have a problem with Puig’s antics is that they can’t discern the difference between a player openly *dissing* an opposing player and a player like Puig, who’s antics are not directed at an opposing player but rather sheer exuberance. I heard AJ on the radio today talking about how he got mad at a player after he hit a HR off Kuo because after he hit it he immediately grabbed his crotch while staring out at Kuo – this is completely different than the way Puig “overcelebrates” his hits.

    • thescrounger

      Us there a pool in St. Louis?

  5. John_from_Aus

    Boston are now up 2-1, who would have thought?

    • Very similar to what’s happening in our series, as Eric Stephen points out:
      Dodgers starting pitchers: 0.86 ERA, 19 K, 3 BB, in 21 IP.
      Tigers starting pitchers: 0.86 ERA, 35 K, 8 BB, in 21 IP.
      Both down 2-1.

  6. Nice first inning Ricky!

  7. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    Nicely done, Nolasco! Keep it up!

  8. Bob_in_Vegas

    Let’s get some runs!

  9. Seven Dodger runs by the third inning, that’s the goal.

  10. Bob_Hendley

    Hanley not very comfortable.

  11. scooplew

    Not sure at what speed Nolasco is throwing, but all I can say is Ricky, don’t lose that number.

  12. Bob_in_Vegas

    Get the K or double play!

  13. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    I love Vin. “Dodger blue rally towels are like playing golf with a green ball. You could lose it!”

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      I listened to him at the game last night, even tho he was several seconds behind “real time” (cued up with the TV-cast?) — because it’s great to listen to him, no matter what the situation.

  14. Bob_in_Vegas

    RicKy!!!

  15. That breaking ball looks nice tonight, sets up that high fast ball well.

  16. Jack Dawkins

    I want to see some Mickey Mouse activity this inning.

  17. Lots of “Mickey Mouse stuff” going on in the Cardinals dugout…

  18. Bob_in_Vegas

    Don’t run over Dre, Puig! (But I hope he gets the chance to try!)

  19. Bob_in_Vegas

    How ’bout that triple right here?

  20. John_from_Aus

    big chance here

  21. Jack Dawkins

    I dont think that Puig will see anything but inside pitches tonight.

  22. Bob_in_Vegas

    throw it away . . .

  23. scooplew

    Swing the bat for goodness sakes.

    • foul tip

      Lynn was missing. Dodger braintrust may have told him not to swing, hoping for a BB RBI and thinking he wouldn’t get a hit anyhow.

  24. Bob_in_Vegas

    Silver Lining: pitch count up (tho they have a tough bullpen) . . . and top of the lineup coming up

  25. WinnipegDave

    That’s too bad, but perhaps we are just breaking Lynn down a bit.

  26. foul tip

    A TBS guy, about Puig last night…”I’ve seen home run trots. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen a triple trot.”

  27. Jack Dawkins

    Metheny likes the sacrifice with no outs too!

    • Jack Dawkins

      Even if it is the pitcher.

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      When you get a hit to follow it, it pays off . . . that’s the Dodgers’ problem in this series — getting the follow-up (RISP) hit

  28. Jack Dawkins

    Dagnabbit

  29. foul tip

    IIRC, when Nolasco hit his rough patch late in the year, the roof tended to cave in in one inning.

    If that starts here, hope they can get him out of there fast enough.

  30. Jack Dawkins

    Pitching around Beltran doesnt bother me.

  31. Bob_in_Vegas

    First LCS HR . . . to the wrong team . . .

  32. scooplew

    Say good night, Ricky.

  33. Jack Dawkins

    Couldnt even see where that came down.

  34. Jack Dawkins

    Silver lining department…..this is Lance Lynn who has to try and hold on to this lead.

  35. Bob_in_Vegas

    The Dodgers have only scored 5 this whole series . . . but it’s the same team (albeit before further injuries) that got 13 vs. the Braves in one game.

  36. Bob_in_Vegas

    How ’bout a run here, Dodgers?

  37. Gotta get to Lynn, he had a terrible second half. I know because I was forced to drop him from my fantasy team. Let’s go boys!

  38. John_from_Aus

    Heart of the lineup, we need at least 1 or 2 here

  39. “M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! Mickey Mouse!”

  40. John_from_Aus

    good start!

  41. John_from_Aus

    2 rbi triple would be good

  42. 4d3fect

    “no message” my behind

  43. Bob_in_Vegas

    Answer with the bat, Puig!

  44. 4d3fect

    time to crank one here

  45. Ethier didn’t even get to third?

  46. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    It’s a start. I’ll take it!

  47. Bob_in_Vegas

    pUIG!!

  48. 4d3fect

    Revenge, of a sort.

  49. WinnipegDave

    Uribe – please be productive here.

  50. Bob_in_Vegas

    Believe Puig is 3 for his last 4 ABs.

  51. WinnipegDave

    One more of those and it is a one run game.

  52. 4d3fect

    Uribear, don’t let the mascot be banned in vain!

  53. Short leash indeed, Skip on deck.

  54. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    Ellis!

  55. peter drysdale

    WOOHOOO! it’s an offensive explosion.

  56. WinnipegDave

    I love how when the ball went exploding off the bat – the crowd exploded as well!!

  57. I had a bad feeling that was coming…. Oh Skip…

  58. WinnipegDave

    Bullpen game now.

  59. scooplew

    Skip has a knack for doing that.

    • John_from_Aus

      surely punto would have been a better option (Andre better last the whole game now)

  60. foul tip

    Too bad the Dodgers don’t have a vaccine for GIDP disease.

  61. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    I think that’s the first time Mattingly has opted not to call for the bunt when I would actually have approved of such a call.

    • John_from_Aus

      and Grienke or Kershaw could have laid the sac down, so not to waste a position player

      • GoDodgersFromWisconsin

        If he’d sent Greinke up there, I woulda been rooting for him to swing away. :)

  62. Bob_Hendley

    Puig back on track?

  63. Interesting they don’t go to Volquez first.

  64. John_from_Aus

    could have got more but at least we are within striking distance now (also I realise we could have got more, but 2 is better than 0 :)

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      At this point in the series, I’m happy with any scoring . . . and hopefully the feeling will come back that they can do bunches.

  65. scooplew

    I am hoping that we get one scoreless inning from Withrow and not hoping for anything more.

  66. Bob_in_Vegas

    Possible silver lining — mess up Lynn’s pitching with him on the basepath (just don’t score!).

  67. Jack Dawkins

    Passed ball…picked the wrong night to give up….

  68. scooplew

    Burning Schumaker in the 4th inning means the only veteran outfielder we have if needed is Van Slyke.

  69. Bob_in_Vegas

    Get the K!

  70. Bob_in_Vegas

    Chris, the W in your name should stand for “win,” not “walk”!

  71. If Lynn scores after he should have been called out on strikes….

  72. Bob_in_Vegas

    Way to hang tough!

  73. Bob_in_Vegas

    Now let’s tie it up!

  74. scooplew

    Thank you, Chris. Volquez in the 6th?

    • Why? Withrow’s slot doesn’t come up unless they bat around, right? Crawford should be leading off here.

    • Bob_Hendley

      With two lefities maybe they go with Howell. Can’t see Volquez getting into this game at this point..

  75. Bob_in_Vegas

    CC into center!

  76. Bob_Hendley

    Run ‘n hit?

  77. Bob_in_Vegas

    C’mon, Mark!

  78. Two straight balls. Terrible.

  79. C’mon, AGon!

  80. WinnipegDave

    Oh for a healthy Hanley!

  81. scooplew

    Wasted opportunity.

  82. Bob_Hendley

    Mellis doing the work in the field.

  83. scooplew

    A second inning for Withrow. A bridge too far?

  84. Jack Dawkins

    Ive never been so sad to hear the CI alarm.

  85. WinnipegDave

    No way man. No way.

  86. Bob_in_Vegas

    This has not been AJ’s series behind the plate . . . at least in the sense that he’s done things he normally doesn’t do. Hope this doesn’t hurt like Saturday . . .

  87. WinnipegDave

    Ground ball please…

  88. Bob_Hendley

    Donnie thinking of double switch with Hanley.

  89. scooplew

    Wonderful.

  90. WinnipegDave

    The crowd is back too now!

  91. scooplew

    I was wrong on Withrow.

  92. Jack Dawkins

    That was about as easy a 5-4-3 as I can remember seeing.

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      Glad it didn’t go to Hanley — sounds like he’s really hurting.

  93. Bob_in_Vegas

    Time to tie it up!

  94. Jack Dawkins

    Puig is back!

  95. 4d3fect

    Take that, birds.

  96. We need a Uribear sighting this series, he’s been missing.

  97. Bob_in_Vegas

    Did Puig at least slide?

  98. WBBsAs

    Glad Don didn’t risk a hit and run.

  99. Bob_in_Vegas

    Gonna be tough without Hanley . . . but what a boost he was while in there . . . and he produced yesterday!

  100. Bob_in_Vegas

    a crusher!

  101. Jack Dawkins

    sigh

  102. Jack Dawkins

    Shades of Ozzie?

  103. twaseverthus

    I hope that’s the last time I have to hear about how “fast” CC gets to balls.

  104. WinnipegDave

    What are the odds we put up a 3 spot here?

  105. Bob_in_Vegas

    Stretch the run production! Win it for Hanley! (And all of us!)

  106. Bob_in_Vegas

    Punto!

  107. WinnipegDave

    Shredder > Shoe

  108. 4d3fect

    Wake-up call from Punto.

  109. Bob_in_Vegas

    Dang!

  110. Bob_in_Vegas

    Finding ways to . . . not score, at least . . .

  111. 4d3fect

    Donnie: if looks could kill..

  112. Bob_in_Vegas

    What a waste . . .

  113. twaseverthus

    Curtains.

  114. From hope to despair in an instant.

  115. Bob_in_Vegas

    Dodgers once again outhit the Cards but trail.

  116. 4d3fect

    TOOTBLAN

  117. Bob_in_Vegas

    Punto was the wrong “PU” expected to make a bone-head play.

  118. Man, Donnie must be pretty pissed at Punto.

  119. Bob_in_Vegas

    Two runs . . . please.

  120. Bob_in_Vegas

    Remember when baseball games only rarely lasted longer than a football game?

  121. Bob_in_Vegas

    Visions of a healthy Hanley and Bison next year brings hope.

  122. Bob_in_Vegas

    C’mon Adrian . . . before Hanley and Puig, there was you . . .

  123. Ethier, Puig, Uribe in the bottom of the 9th? We need another 4+1 kind of event.

  124. WBBsAs

    I wish Vin would learn to pronounce Mármol as he did Yasiel.

  125. Hey peeps…. this is disheartening.

  126. Why does 2 runs feel so big?

  127. Bob_in_Vegas

    24 hours ago, I was in the DS parking lot, waiting to get out and we were all ecstatic about the possibilities.

    Now . . .

  128. 4d3fect

    That’s my Dre!

  129. Why no pinch run?

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      Can’t think about extra innings or another AB. Here. Now!

  130. 4d3fect

    intention unintentional walk in progress?

  131. Guess we gotta take this one to 7 games…

  132. 4d3fect

    Welp.

  133. DS1981

    oh well, there will be a year when they are good enough, healthy enough and lucky enough. Hopefully i’ll still be alive by then. One world series appearance in 25 years is apparently too much to ask from the dodgers. I am excited for next year though. Talk to you all in March. Hopefully this blog will still exist.

  134. Thank God the Raiders don’t play this weekend. I don’t know if I could handle it.

    • WBBsAs

      I live in Oakland, and wish the Raiders would just go away.

      • I too live here and while I am a diehard Raiders fan, I would rather have my tax dollars spent on a police force than any sports team. But, that’s bordering on a Rule 5 violation.

        • WBBsAs

          The Raiders are not a sports team. They are a band of extortionists in pads.

  135. NoahUCLA

    One day at a time. A win from Greinke at home would not be a huge surprise, nor would a Kershaw win. We just need some runs. Is it too late to put Kirk Gibson on the roster?? Swimming pool notwithstanding.

    • Adam Luther

      There’s reason to be optimistic when you have great pitching.

  136. John_from_Aus

    If you guys can come back from 8-1 down to win the America’s cup 9-8, we can come back from 3-1 down :)

  137. kat49

    The batting lineup needs to be changed: M. Ellis, Puig, AG, Hanley, Ethier, Uribe, AJ, pitcher. we can’t rely on home runs all the time – they are sporadic. Keep the constant single and doubles going, one after another. Thoughtful strategy of getting at least one Dodger scoring per inning. This is journeyman thinking, not heroics. Give our pitchers some back-up with solid defense and solid steady offense. We have the best pitchers and the best team – give them a stronger strategy and stop with the impulsive “brilliant” replacements.

    • Bob_in_Vegas

      I like the thinking but I see two problems: no CC (or whoever the LF is) . . . and Hanley probably won’t be in there, which is a HUGE problem for this team.

  138. GoDodgersFromWisconsin

    Wore my Dodger cap to school for Games 1 and 4. Wore my fedora for Game 3. Guess I know what I’m going back to.

  139. RBI

    Such a frustrating game. The stadium kept filling and deflating, filling and deflating, as opportunities rose, then slipped away. The two DPs were of course killers, but watching Hanley’s last at bat was the hardest thing for me. He was too hurt to defend the plate. I also didn’t understand why none of our guys were even threatening to steal. But I’ll be back tomorrow, waving the flag!

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