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By Jon Weisman
Dodger catcher A.J. Ellis spoke to AM 570’s DodgerTalk with David Vasseigh and Kevin Kennedy for nearly 30 minutes Wednesday on a variety of subjects encompassing the 2014 season. If you click the link, the interview begins at approximately the 13-minute mark.
Though Ellis, like everyone else, realizes that ultimately the Dodgers didn’t get the job done, one subject that Ellis touched on is how much grief Clayton Kershaw received after his second playoff defeat in Game 4 of the National League Division Series, wondering how much of that grief was deserved.
“I was so proud of him,” Ellis said, “and I told him after (Game 4) right away, and I don’t know if he was ready to hear it or not, but what he did on three days rest, to come back and dominate that team that had humbled him a few days prior, to do it on short rest and come out and dominate for six straight innings, have two balls just barely elude our middle infielders, and then just leave one pitch up in the zone. He threw 102 pitches that day — one was probably where he didn’t want it. And then a couple of hours later, we’re on a flight back to L.A., just contemplating about what could have been.
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“I know that Clayton still is having a hard time with the way things ended. I keep trying to remind him of what an epic season he had, how amazing he was during the regular season. You get in those playoffs, and it really, truly is a coin toss. You’re playing against some of the best teams in all of baseball. The Cardinals have obviously been a team that’s given us a lot of trouble, been a thorn in our side, never quit for the entire game.
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“That second game, Game 4, was so close. We get through that seventh inning … and I know the plan was for Kenley (Jansen) to throw the eighth and ninth inning in Game 4 and get the ball back to Zack (Greinke) in Los Angeles. As great and as historic a season or postseason that Madison Bumgarner had, we were that close to maybe having the same conversation about how Clayton Kershaw threw in the NLCS and the World Series. I honestly believe he was on a pace to have an amazing postseason.”
Thinking what might have been isn’t an especially good place to be, but it’s hard not to. Demonizing a team that came so close doesn’t make sense to me.
Michael Green
Kershaw doesn’t deserve a word of criticism for his performance in the post-season. Not a word. As for Game 4, he made that one bad pitch, but if he can’t give up three runs in a game, I’d like to know why the offense flew home to LA early?
TheRealMe (@TheReal33411019)
Absolutely agree with you. The Dodgers relied too much all season on Kershaw being perfect.
dodger3942
I couldn’t agree more with AJ. Without Clayton’s amazing season, we don ‘t go to the playoffs.
oldbrooklynfan
I look at it this way. You either win or you lose and we lost. Better luck next time.
alleyalbee
I think Kershaw deserves plenty of criticism for his postseason performance. But he’s an amazing regular season pitcher, without a doubt.
Vin Smith (@wanturlove)
Players and teams live and die on the roll of dice in any short series–or even individual season. But the real story is the overall career–and the overall team performance in any era. Keeping the big picture in mind, the Dodgers have already established this particular epoch as another of those great Dodger runs. Next season? They may well go all the way!
artieboy
I don’t think any player should be immune to criticism. If you receive applause you can also receive harsh words.
As far as what happened, what’s done is done. Looking forward to next season.
Jon Weisman
No one should be immune from criticism. It’s the nature of the criticism and the level of perspective (or lack thereof) that’s debatable.
Don Bright
Weather we like it or not, until Kershaw leads the Dodgers to a World Championship he will get labeled as an underachiever in the post-season, deserving or not.