(10-06-2014 08:01 PM)grol Wrote:  Nats force a game 4. AR hitting / playing well (.467 avg for the series). Did not figure into the scoring this game.

Game 3 was won when Giants Bumgarner attempted to get an out at 3rd on a bunt play and threw it away. Typical college game error, but here it is in the MLB playoffs.

That play reminded me of the Tigers in the 06 World Series with the Cards. Baumgarner needs some extra PFP.

Cards win the series and the Dodgers' season is over. I guess Vin Scully will keep announcing until they get back to the World Series (in his 90's perhaps?).

Interestingly, Chris Davis still has 5 games to serve for his MLB suspension for the O's. They could actually activate him for the ALCS in case they want to use him in a possible Game 6 and 7.

The Dodgers, team with the $229 million payroll, twice that of the Cards, lose again. I feel for Kershaw. The guy pitches on 3 days rest, has a 1-hitter through 6 innings and has thrown 94 pitches. Mattingly said before the game that 90 was his limit on 3 days rest, but he brings him out for the 7th because he doesn't have a middle reliever that he can trust. $229 million, tops in the majors, and no middle relief. Kershaw goes out and gives up 3 hits, 3 runs in a heartbeat. Bums lose

Wow, what a play, Nats try to give an IBB with man in 2nd and 3rd, shades of Baylor as the pitcher throws it over the catchers head, but the Giant is thrown out at the plate on the bounce back.

(10-07-2014 08:04 PM)grol Wrote:  The Dodgers, team with the $229 million payroll, twice that of the Cards, lose again. I feel for Kershaw. The guy pitches on 3 days rest, has a 1-hitter through 6 innings and has thrown 94 pitches. Mattingly said before the game that 90 was his limit on 3 days rest, but he brings him out for the 7th because he doesn't have a middle reliever that he can trust. $229 million, tops in the majors, and no middle relief. Kershaw goes out and gives up 3 hits, 3 runs in a heartbeat. Bums lose

Yep. Colletti is on the hot seat.

It is extremely difficult to win in the post season without a bullpen. Exhibit A, Tigers, Exhibit B, Dodgers. It's incredible that teams spend so much money to be good everywhere else but the bullpen.

Starters are critical in the regular season, bullpen is critical in the playoffs. Oh yeah, Exhibit C, Braves, for about 15 straight years.

(10-07-2014 11:20 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  It is extremely difficult to win in the post season without a bullpen. Exhibit A, Tigers, Exhibit B, Dodgers. It's incredible that teams spend so much money to be good everywhere else but the bullpen.

Starters are critical in the regular season, bullpen is critical in the playoffs. Oh yeah, Exhibit C, Braves, for about 15 straight years.

You'd think Stan Kasten would've learned that lesson.

I was rooting for Rendon to make it further, but the Giants won on a passed ball / wild pitch run, and a Gritman-like catch from Texan Hunter Pence -- Pence in the Fence.

Some exposure for Anthony in this series. Good in the field and at the plate (though 0-fer last night).

That unfielded bunt in the bottom of the second was a bad play by the pitcher. Rendon makes that play 100 times out of 100 but was blocked from fielding it. Giants go on to score 2 runs.

Yup. Gio was a complete mess after committing that error, until the pitching coach came out and settled him down. Messed up bunt coverage. Walked in first run on 4 straight balls. Not sure game plays out same way if Giants score 1 (or 0) in that inning, but definitely avoidable if he settled in.

In reality, it was the offense that let them down. Other than Harper and Rendon, no one produced.

(10-08-2014 07:41 AM)grol Wrote:  Some exposure for Anthony in this series. Good in the field and at the plate (though 0-fer last night).

And despite going 0-4 last night, he batted .368 in the series. Harper was the next best hitter for the Nats in the series, nearly .075 back.

(10-08-2014 08:21 AM)gsloth Wrote:  Yup. Gio was a complete mess after committing that error, until the pitching coach came out and settled him down. Messed up bunt coverage. Walked in first run on 4 straight balls. Not sure game plays out same way if Giants score 1 (or 0) in that inning, but definitely avoidable if he settled in.

In reality, it was the offense that let them down. Other than Harper and Rendon, no one produced.

That's always been Gio's problem. His temper gets away from him. The visit should probably have come immediately after the error.

AR had a bad fielding effort in the inning in which SF re-took the lead, although it wasn't his fault completely. It was another bunt (by the SF pitcher) and it was a pretty solid bunt. The Nationals pitcher tried right away to field the bunt (and Rendon was telling him to throw it to first) but he ended up not getting the ball and Rendon picked it up instead without a play. It ended up being a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. But I think that if Anthony had taken charge from the beginning, it would have been his play unless the pitcher still got in his way.

That was a crazy inning, with a wild pitch scoring one run, and then a wild pitch ended up being a force out for home soon after.

Unfortunately it's SF vs. St. Louis yet again in the NLCS. It would be nice to have some variety.

I also thought Matt Williams did a poor job managing his team. I'm not sure why he stuck with Adam LaRoche so much. I would have given Zimmerman a start or two.

(10-08-2014 01:48 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  AR had a bad fielding effort in the inning in which SF re-took the lead, although it wasn't his fault completely. It was another bunt (by the SF pitcher) and it was a pretty solid bunt. The Nationals pitcher tried right away to field the bunt (and Rendon was telling him to throw it to first) but he ended up not getting the ball and Rendon picked it up instead without a play. It ended up being a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. But I think that if Anthony had taken charge from the beginning, it would have been his play unless the pitcher still got in his way.

That was a crazy inning, with a wild pitch scoring one run, and then a wild pitch ended up being a force out for home soon after.

Unfortunately it's SF vs. St. Louis yet again in the NLCS. It would be nice to have some variety.

I also thought Matt Williams did a poor job managing his team. I'm not sure why he stuck with Adam LaRoche so much. I would have given Zimmerman a start or two.

I don't know if AR could have made that play, but he made similar plays during the series.

I heard Zimmerman wasn't healthy enough to play 9 innings. But I agree, Matt Williams made several rookie mistakes.

(10-08-2014 04:22 PM)grol Wrote:  

(10-08-2014 01:48 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  AR had a bad fielding effort in the inning in which SF re-took the lead, although it wasn't his fault completely. It was another bunt (by the SF pitcher) and it was a pretty solid bunt. The Nationals pitcher tried right away to field the bunt (and Rendon was telling him to throw it to first) but he ended up not getting the ball and Rendon picked it up instead without a play. It ended up being a bunt single to load the bases with no outs. But I think that if Anthony had taken charge from the beginning, it would have been his play unless the pitcher still got in his way.

I don't know if AR could have made that play, but he made similar plays during the series.

IIRTRC (If I recall the replay correctly), AR at first twitched back, as if he was considering trying to cover third for the force. He then quickly charged forward, but Gio was clearly going to get to the ball first, so AR slowed a bit and pointed to first (and yelled, I presume, as Gio was facing away from AR and would not have seen his arm direction). Of course, Gio mishandled the ball, leaving AR with no play.

This uncharacteristically tentative play by AR contrasted sharply with his essentially immediate fielding of a bunt a few innings later, when he got to the ball within 15 feet of home plate, almost as soon as it left the bat.

(If you haven't already seen it, check out ESPN's September 17 "Don't bunt on Anthony Rendon" article, which was posted in the "More love ..." thread.)

(10-08-2014 01:48 PM)Fort Bend Owl Wrote:  That was a crazy inning, with a wild pitch scoring one run, and then a wild pitch ended up being a force out for home soon after.

Posey's wild pitch out at the plate was not a force.