Did Curious Moves By Dave Roberts Cost The Dodgers The World Series?

No Comments November 2, 2017 Dodgers By John Stellman

A not so funny thing happened to the Dodgers on their way to hoisting the 2017 World Series Championship Trophy.

They couldn’t get their hands on it!

Here they were: The best team money could buy ($242M), more wins (104) than any team during the regular season and the opportunity to host Game 7.

So What Happened?

Those pesky Houston Astros, who were christened the Colt 45s, obviously weren’t impressed.

With a whopping (ha ha) payroll of $124M, 18th in baseball, this economically challenged team had the audacity to invade Dodger Stadium and win their first World Series ever!

Despite all the hoopla, the presence of mega movie stars and the support of 54,124 crazies, the Dodgers’ tank was empty.

Deal A Bust

Worse yet, their gargantuan trade deadline deal for Yu Darvish was reduced to rubble.

This was the guy who was brought in to win big post season games. Like Games 3 and 7.

Darvish never got out of the second inning in either game.

In 3 1/3 innings, the free agent to be (good luck) was tattooed for nine hits (two home runs), nine runs (eight earned) and two losses (5-3 and 5-1).

Nothing Changed

And from what I saw, he didn’t seem to make any significant adjustments between his first and second start.

That had me unbelievably shaking my head.

Darvish’s back-to-back performances put Rick Honeycutt in a precarious position.

The Dodgers’ pitching coach since 2006, the 63-year old Honeycutt’s contract has expired.

Going, Going Gone?

And it might have been Clayton Kershaw who drove that final nail into the coffin.

The three time Cy Young Award winner let Game 5 get away not once, but TWICE!

Since 2012 when given a four run lead, the 29-year old left hander has a record of 49-1.

The Dodgers could have popped the champagne after Game 6 if Kershaw inexplicably hadn’t surrendered leads of 4-0 and 7-4 (I know, it’s not quite four runs, but it’s a lead that should have been protected!).

E-M (Error On The Manager)

Kershaw actually redeemed himself in relief of Darvish in the finale. But therein lies another blunder, this one by manger Dave Roberts.

Unaccustomed as he is of pitching on just three days rest, Kershaw took the ball in relief and blanked the Astros over four stellar innings.

He required just 43 pitches to accomplish the feat. His line included four strikeouts, two walks, two hits and zero runs. ZERO!

If he’s going to pitch four innings, why not the first four?

Houston got all five of their runs in the first two innings. Maybe the Dodgers win, 1-0. Maybe they don’t. But I’d take my chances.

This Isn’t Wilbur!

So here is another Game 7 option: How about Alex Wood?

In his two previous Series appearance (one start), Wood allowed just one hit in 7 2/3 innings and posted an earned run average of 1.17. And he too would have been pitching on three days rest.

Wood made 25 starts during the regular year and was solid (16-3, 2.72).

But those certainly weren’t Roberts’ only blunders.

Wake Up And Smell The Coffee

Despite some dreadful offensive performances, the skipper hardly adjusted his lineup.

Although Justin Turner’s two run home run in the sixth inning of Game 1 provided the margin of victory (3-1), the third baseman never hit another nor drove in another run. His series batting average was a microscopic .160.

Cody Bellinger hit .143 and struck out a World Series record 17 times.

Yasiel Puig hit two dingers, knocked in four runs and hit .148.

Austin Barnes drove in a pair of runs and hit .174.

Chris Taylor cracked one home run, drove in three and hit .222.

Corey Seager had almost identical numbers: one home run, four runs batted in and a .222 batting average.

Pretty Pathetic

Logan Forsythe hit a respectable .278 with three RBIs.

Only Joc Pederson solved Astro pitching. Three home runs, five teammates driven home and a .333 average.

For the series, the Dodgers hit a merciful .205.

And this wasn’t exactly a Cy Young Award winning staff.

A former winner (2015), Dallas Keuchel, made two starts (5.23 ERA).

So did Justin Verlander, the 2011 Cy Young winner (3.75) and Lance McCullers (3.52).

The best of the bunch was Charlie Morton, who made one start but also pitched in relief and had a tidy earned run average of 1.74.

Arson Squad

Houston’s bullpen was horrific.

In fact, closer Ken Giles appeared in Games 2 and 4 (1 2/3 innings, 4 hits, 5 runs, 0-1, 27.00 ERA) and was never seen again.

Colin McHugh (13.50), Chris Devenski (7.50), and Joe Musgrave (6.75) looked more like batting practice pitchers.

The savior was Brad Peacock, who pitched admirably in 7 1/3 innings spanning four games. His ERA was 2.45.

Houston’s offense wasn’t much better than the Dodgers (.230) but they out homered Los Angeles 15 to 10 and seemed to do a better job of delivering the critical hit in clutch situations.

Solid Future

And the Astros are well positioned to defend their crown

Their starting lineup is set in stone for 2018. Nobody is eligible to leave before 2019.

Joe Altuve has a club option for the next two summers. Series Most Valuable Player George Springer is under team control through 2021. All Star shortstop Carlos Correa won’t be a free agent until 2022. Lance McCullers is also under control until then. And Verlander will be paid $56M over the next two seasons.

What About The Dodgers?

Six are free agents: The aforementioned Darvish, pitchers Brandon Morrow and Tony Watson, outfielders Frankie Gutierrez and Chris Granderson and infielder Chase Utley.

The teams has options on Andre Either and Forsythe. The guess here is that Either goes (unless he resigns for less money) and the second basemen stays.

The Dodgers also have 10 arbitration eligible players: Yasmani Grandal, Pederson, Kiki Hernandez, Luis Avilan, Tony Congrani, Grant Dayton, Wood, Pedro Baez, Josh Fields and Yimi Garcia.

Will there be a rematch next fall?

Tough Act To Follow

It might not be that easy for the Dodgers. History is not on their side.

No National League team since the Phillies (2008, 2009) has played in consecutive Fall Classics.

It will all begin when they assemble in Glendale, Arizona in mid-February.

Can The Blue once again overcome the rigorous grind of 177 games (or however many are necessary) played over 8 1/2 months (including the Cactus League) and be successful?

Hopefully next October it will be all hands on deck, or rather, all hands on that 2018 World Series Championship Trophy!

image: (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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John Stellman

I was born with sports in my blood. I began coaching little league baseball at 15. I was the sports editor of my high school newspaper. I did football play by play for the college radio station. I broadcast high school basketball for a local commercial station. But baseball was always my passion. During the 1970's I covered the Angels for the Orange County Register. And now I am back where I belong...