NLDS Game Four(s) Live Blog

2:04	Jeff Sullivan: Hey guys, and welcome to live chat

2:05	Jeff Sullivan: I’m going to be chatting during the first game. Dave will be chatting during the second game! If the games do not overlap, then there will be a dead zone in the middle

2:05	Comment From Brandon Hi Jeff

2:05	Jeff Sullivan: Hi Brandon!

2:05	Comment From Only potatoes Missed your Chat this morning; Tell me good thing about Christian Yelich and his future

2:05	Jeff Sullivan: Excellent discipline, consistent line-drive contact, power will continue to develop

2:06	Jeff Sullivan: This chat is going to be a little slow toward the start because I’m in the process of eating my lunch. But I will set up some polls to keep you busy, then I’ll be invested full-bore after the final bite

2:06	Comment From Jeremy Koo Hi Jeff.

2:06	Jeff Sullivan: Hi Jeremy!

2:06	Jeff Sullivan: Dodgers

2:07	Jeff Sullivan: Over

2:08	Jeff Sullivan: Over

2:09	Jeff Sullivan: Over

2:10	Jeff Sullivan: Starting to wonder about the Miller strikeout poll

2:10	Comment From Mike Hi Jeff!

2:10	Jeff Sullivan: Hi Mike!

2:11	Jeff Sullivan: Tough catch for Carpenter in the shadows

2:11	Jeff Sullivan: I think that’s how this works

2:11	Comment From Tyler whats for lunch?

2:11	Jeff Sullivan: Homemade pizza

2:11	Comment From Only potatoes lets talk about Puig and where he is

2:12	Jeff Sullivan: I’m open to the idea that Puig might be pressing, as I believe he actually admitted to. In that event, this goes beyond simple Puig vs. Ethier numbers. But I still want to see Puig used aggressively in an important spot later on

2:13	Comment From Jake Ah, the old “benching on of your best players to try to win” strategy. A good one.

2:13	Jeff Sullivan: I think it looks a lot worse than it is

2:15	Jeff Sullivan: I hope and expect to see a lot more Kershaw curveballs today

2:15	Jeff Sullivan: That’s what I think was missing from Kershaw’s 7th inning last time out. Good one to Carpenter

2:15	Comment From Mark If this goes to game 5 who would you pick to win if Greinke and Wainwright are the starters?

2:15	Jeff Sullivan: Greinke. Wainwright’s elbow thing makes me nervous

2:18	Jeff Sullivan: All right, lunch finished

2:18	Comment From Jeremy Koo #shadows drinks

2:18	Jeff Sullivan: There they are again!

2:18	Comment From Matt Speaking of Yelich, are you a bit worried about his swing? He has good power, but hits Aoki/Revere levels of ground balls and batted ball profiles rarely change much from what I’ve seen.

2:19	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe he ends up a little like Derek Jeter at the plate. I think he’ll end up with more loft in time

2:19	Jeff Sullivan: Not going to lie, that last slow-motion replay really makes me think that shadows are important

2:19	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t hit, and I certainly don’t hit Clayton Kershaw, but holy geez

2:20	Jeff Sullivan: Five curveballs already, two for strikeouts. Yeah, that was more Kershaw-like

2:20	Comment From Gabe Given that everybody seems to agree Buck Showalter is doing a great job, is there any way we can look at regular-season stats/norms to quantify who would be a better postseason manager?

2:20	Jeff Sullivan: Gets really hard — Showalter has indicated that he manages the season differently than the playoffs, so what do you look for?

2:21	Comment From Guest Is Puig doing the “anti-Trout” in which he has exchanged power for better contact ability? While Trout seems to have sold out a bit for more power?

2:21	Jeff Sullivan: In the first half, he had contact and power. I think he’s just more in a slump

2:22	Comment From Dylan Would you have pitched Strasburg today on short rest over Gonzalez ?

2:22	Jeff Sullivan: nah

2:22	Comment From Kershaw What’s Holliday’s stat line next season?

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: Have to think almost identical to this year. He’s been one of the most consistent players in probably baseball history

2:23	Comment From morF Who eats lunch at 2?

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: Someone who has a chat in the morning and then writes two posts before a 2pm baseball game!

2:23	Comment From Only potatoes I still can’t believe Hanley’s 2013 season. 86 games played 5.0 WAR…..5!

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: #Tulo

2:23	Comment From G Unit Seriously kershaw’s wind up looked weird to me, but maybe I haven’t watched that many of his games.

2:23	Jeff Sullivan: He is a distinctive one

2:24	Jeff Sullivan: Bad play by Peralta. #shadows

2:24	Comment From Curt Jhonny just caught a case of the #shadows

2:24

Comment From Gila Monster
Has any work been done on which pitchers/catchers best display strong pitching ability according to game theory. On what hitters typically see in that count or prior sequencing and what they get? I imagine pitch backward guys do, but it doesn’t seem like it would be exclusive.

2:24	Jeff Sullivan: Best I can say is MGL has some kind of calculated measure for game-calling. I don’t know what he does, but he does it and, surprise, he likes Yadier Molina

2:24	Comment From Who? #shadows are clearly on the Dodger’s side.

2:25	Comment From Guest Might Jhonny Peralta actually be allergic to shadows? Could be something to look into

2:25	Jeff Sullivan: 95% of the time Yadier Molina sets up low and away

2:25	Jeff Sullivan: Miller just missed with his fastball by like three feet

2:27	Jeff Sullivan: Good-looking DP in the #shadows

2:27	Comment From Tyler if WSH wins tonight do you go with strasburg or zim?

2:28	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t think you can go wrong — Game 2 might push in favor of Zimmermann, but because they started with Strasburg, might not want to disrupt things. I suspect either way the Nationals would have similar odds, so it’s a hard choice that becomes an easy choice

2:28	Comment From Gabe Top reason to root for LA: if they make the WS, maybe Fox would actually accede to letting Vin Scully call at least part of a game. We can all hope, right?

2:29	Jeff Sullivan: Shelby Miller still hasn’t thrown a single breaking ball

2:29	Jeff Sullivan: 24 pitches, all fastballs or cutters

2:30	Jeff Sullivan: Grichuk and Jay just came way too close to a visual nightmare

2:30	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe would’ve been able to blame the #shadows

2:30	Comment From JJP Must.not.listen.to.Harold.Reynolds.

2:30	Jeff Sullivan: I at least like his voice more than I like Verducci’s

2:31	Jeff Sullivan: Miller this year threw 19% curves in the first two innings. Today: 0%

2:33	Comment From mb why dont you like verducci?

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: It’s more his voice than his material. Subjective thing, but his voice conveys a certain self-importance and pomposity

2:33	Comment From Jake Why does Harold Reynolds think that people now believe striking out a ridiculous amount of times is ok

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: Because nuance doesn’t make good television

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: Actually nuance makes fantastic television, but it doesn’t make good talking points

2:33	Comment From morF Why are 45% of people choosing Miller to beat Kershaw?

2:33	Jeff Sullivan: There’s more to a game than the starting pitchers

2:34	Comment From Ballmore I’m late to the convo – have we already discussed why Ethier is in this game over Puig? This is crazy, right?

2:34	Jeff Sullivan: I really don’t think it’s so crazy. Miller isn’t good against lefties, Ethier has the platoon advantage, and if Puig is pressing as much as it seems, and if his bat is as late against fastball as it seems, you can’t evaluate him today by his overall season numbers

2:34	Comment From Matt I agree with Verducci. He just comes across terribly even though he has some good things to say

2:35	Jeff Sullivan: It’s unfair how important it is for these people to have listenable voices

2:35	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw at 7/23 fastballs

2:36	Comment From Guest Thankfully, Verducci never comes across this way in his columns…

2:36	Jeff Sullivan: Outlaw the shift!

2:36	Comment From Matt How terrible are these umpires?

2:36	Jeff Sullivan: They’re pretty good and hopelessly put in position to fail!

2:37	Jeff Sullivan: Hanley Ramirez panics on that throw to second if it’s not Matt Adams

2:37	Comment From Alex #shadowball #shift

2:37	Comment From Guest wow, #shadows definitely on the LA side. it’s haunting

2:38	Comment From Guest I could give you either 2015 Mike Trout or guarantee you could have 2015 Tulo for 162 games with no injuries. Who would you take? On a pure value sense isn’t Tulowitzki just Mike Trout who misses a lot of time?

2:38	Jeff Sullivan: I take Tulo. Obviously love them both, but health is the only thing Tulo is missing

2:39	Jeff Sullivan: Anybody else keep hearing the computer ding behind Joe Buck?

2:39	Comment From Zach If the Dodgers win today, who do you have in game 5?

2:39	Jeff Sullivan: Dodgers

2:39	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw now: 12 fastballs, 11 sliders, 7 curves

2:39	Comment From Alex If the Nats win today, who do you have in game 5?

2:39	Jeff Sullivan: Nats

2:40

Comment From okobojicat
I know the Giants game is coming later but I have a question comparing Panik vs. Brandon Belt. Panik is having a great year OBP wise, and Belt is slugging the crap out of the ball, but not doing much else: Belt: .243 .306 .449 wOBA.330 wRC+116 vs. Panik: .305 .343 .368 wOBA.317 wRC+107. How does that make sense? My understanding that OBP is about a 4x better predictor of runs and thus value than SLG. Yet Belt is considered to have a better year. I’m confused

2:40	Jeff Sullivan: OBP is about 1.8 times more important than SLG, and extra-base hits are more important than walks and singles. So Belt gets the offensive edge based on what he’s done

2:40	Comment From CK isn’t 4 strike outs in two a little low for kershaw?

2:40	Jeff Sullivan: #shadows

2:40	Comment From Ben How do the Giants beat Gio Gonzalez tonight? PLEASE MAKE THEM DO IT.

2:41	Jeff Sullivan: Walk

2:41	Comment From Matt It’s crazy how both the Dodgers and Nationals are down a game but most talking heads feel better about both those teams than their opponents

2:41	Jeff Sullivan: Currently set up to have all four of the popular underdogs moving on

2:41	Jeff Sullivan: That’s October in a nutshell

2:42

Comment From Guest
I’ve always heard that relievers can’t throw everyday, but is throwing 25 pitches everyday for 4 consecutive days any worse than throwing 100 pitches in 1 day? Is it a bit of a wash/different functional strength being used? Like doing 20 rep# on a certain weight vs. 3 of a much heavier weight

2:42	Jeff Sullivan: Relievers are going max effort, and everybody needs recovery days.

2:42	Comment From CK that said i hate the fucking royals

2:42	Jeff Sullivan: I wanted to root against them but I can’t. They’re too fun and too fresh

2:43	Comment From Who? Should we start a countdown until Miller throws a non-fastball?

2:43	Comment From Alex Seriously has nobody ever played a day game before?

2:43	Comment From Zach It might be me, but have you noticed Fox usually comes back from commercial right when the pitch is being thrown

2:43	Jeff Sullivan: Maximizes money instead of announcer commentary

2:44	Comment From Guest Has he really thrown all fastballs so far? Just started watching

2:44	Jeff Sullivan: 100% so far

2:44	Jeff Sullivan: Well, one cutter

2:44	Comment From Ben That was 89 mph. What was it?

2:44	Jeff Sullivan: Definitely not his curveball

2:45	Comment From Guest CURVEBALL

2:45	Jeff Sullivan: Miller throws his first curveball as he begins his second trip through the lineup

2:45	Jeff Sullivan: Pitch No. 31

2:45	Comment From CK do most pitchers try to hide some of their stuff early?

2:46	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah, was just reading about Doug Fister doing this. It’s basically establishing teh fastball early and keeping things in your back pocket for later. Don’t want to give away all your stuff in the first few innings

2:46	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know how much it matters in terms of results, but it’s the thought process

2:47	Jeff Sullivan: That was a perfectly located high-away fastball to get rid of Crawford

2:47	Comment From Guest it would be great if he threw 31 straight curveballs

2:48	Comment From Only potatoes Millers velocity seems to be sitting at 94mph now as opposed to 96 in 1st

2:48	Jeff Sullivan: Adrenaline. Found this level in the second

2:48	Comment From Matt Makes sense. The other team may think you didn’t have it working in bullpen and then isn’t looking for. Then when you need the strikeout it shocks the hitter

2:49	Jeff Sullivan: Pitchers need to have some means of countering hitter familiarity that develops with each trip through the order. Hitters adjust to things scary fast

2:49	Comment From Bojack horseman Yeah i read the Fister thing too, but not everyone does it right?

2:49	Jeff Sullivan: Personal preference, and catcher preference. The ideal, of course, is to be unpredictable in how and when you start showing off your secondary stuff. I’ve heard good things about Greinke in this regard

2:50	Comment From Kershaw What does Matt Kemp fetch now that his bat has largely returned to its former glory?

2:50	Jeff Sullivan: Still really expensive. His trade value is up, but maybe that just means the Dodgers wouldn’t have to eat tens of millions of dollars

2:50	Comment From Dustin Is the fun of a team like the Royals winning it all somewhat diminished by the fact that some number of pundits will attribute the victory to Ned Yost bravely ignoring the criticism of these filthy saberdorks who NEVER EVEN PLAYED THE GAME?

2:50	Jeff Sullivan: Pedro Martinez played the game and he hates Yost’s decisions

2:51	Jeff Sullivan: But more importantly, if the pundits aren’t saying one thing stupid, they’ll just say another thing stupid. If you let them get you down, you’ll always be down

2:51	Comment From ralph What’s the proper stopwatch technique for timing running to 1B on contact? Timing from when the ball contacted the bat to when Matt Adams, I get 4.5 seconds.

2:51	Comment From Gila Monster Did Dave ever write a followup piece to the “Shelby Miller is broken” article? I ‘m a bit curious if he is actually fixed? He seemed to get the walks under control in the second half, but the strikeouts are still gone.

2:52	Jeff Sullivan: No follow-up. Miller was really only good for about three or four starts in September. I haven’t looked at him too closely but the numbers aren’t promising

2:52	Comment From Only potatoes Okay, how do you weigh the Dodgers Bullpen vs Kershaw facing lineup 3rd time on short rest?

2:52	Jeff Sullivan: I”m done with Kershaw around 90-100 pitches. Have to look out for him down the road, and not just today

2:53	Comment From Yosted AL question: Any guesses on why Royals are picked 60/40 to beat the Orioles? FG projections seemed to prefer Orioles for the season

2:54	Jeff Sullivan: I’m not actually sure, but I bet the projections don’t much care for an Orioles team without Wieters, Machado, and Davis

2:54	Comment From mtsw I sort of feel like the “neanderthal pundit who loves bunting and doesn’t know what OBP is” is an outdated stereotype. Most of the TV people now seem decent. Joe Morgan actually DID get fired, remember?

2:55

Jeff Sullivan: If I may have a moment of honesty I think I might actually kind of like Harold Reynolds. Obviously not all the time, but I value anyone who can tell me things I don’t know about, and I think he can be good at that. But you have to be discriminating with what you listen to and what you ignore

2:55	Jeff Sullivan: I might be biased just because I love Reynolds’ delivery

2:55	Comment From Alex I’m a Nationals fan who was at game 2 and left after 13th inning because my girlfriend was cold and miserable. Should I be ashamed as a baseball fan? Is it ok because they lost? Am I allowed to tell people I was at the longest playoff game ever?

2:56	Jeff Sullivan: (1) No, because other things are more important. It wasn’t a World Series game! Keep your partner happy, if you like your partner. There will be more games, but maybe not more partners. (2) Allows you to feel like it was less of a missed opportunity (3) No, you liar

2:56	Comment From BDF Alex, don’t waste a playoff ticket on someone who doesn’t want to go to/stay at the game!

2:56	Jeff Sullivan: She made it 13 innings!

2:56	Jeff Sullivan: That’s too many innings!

2:57	Comment From Ben buy her two blankets at the Nats store, let her keep them both, and stay the whole 18 innings!

2:57	Comment From Guest yes. no. no

2:57	Comment From Yosted Do they not have cabs in DC?

2:57	Comment From BDF No clock on baseball. She knew it going in, or he should have told her.

2:57	Jeff Sullivan: I give the girl credit. She stuck it out. It sounds like it was a pretty effective compromise

2:57	Comment From mtsw As an Orioles fan, I want to point out that the question about the Nats fan leaving early is the most Nationals fan question ever.

2:58	Jeff Sullivan: Through three innings:

2:58	Jeff Sullivan: Miller (unofficial): 33 fastballs 1 cutter 2 curves

2:58	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw (unofficial): 21 fastballs 12 sliders 10 curves

2:58	Jeff Sullivan: Miller with seven whiffs, Kershaw with five

2:59	Comment From Alex It’s a long distance relationship! She was only here for the weekend! She doesn’t love baseball but knows it’s important to me.

2:59	Jeff Sullivan: Point: Alex!

2:59	Comment From DTSS People you’re close to are way more important than baseball games. You did fine, Alex.

2:59	Comment From Alex Thanks strangers!

3:00	Comment From ralph How amazing is it that Zack Cozart netted 1.2 WAR despite a .221/.268/.300 slash line?

3:00	Jeff Sullivan: Trying to pull a godawful Simmons

3:00	Comment From Guest Alex, ask her to marry you (but not on a stadium jumbotron).

3:00	Comment From Yosted Just because 90% of us would have done the same thing as Alex doesn’t mean we lose the right to mock him for it!

3:00	Jeff Sullivan: Plus, you know who enjoys six more innings of extra-inning baseball with a miserable girlfriend? Nobody!

3:01	Jeff Sullivan: Grichuk with the can of corn catch in the #shadows

3:01	Comment From Ben what are the odds on tonight’s giants game. 50/50???

3:01	Jeff Sullivan: Close enough to that to essentially be that

3:02	Jeff Sullivan: Miller’s around 70% strikes, which is what he did in September. Hugely promising if they actually have him back on some kind of track

3:04	Comment From Guest #shadows seemingly kind to Grichuk, aren’t they? Does he know something about them that we dont?

3:04	Comment From Hunter Stricklands Elbow does zimmermann start a potential game 5

3:04	Jeff Sullivan: Undecided, but it seems possible the Nats could even have Zimmermann and Strasburg both pitch. The fact that they started the series with Strasburg seems to indicate their general preference

3:04

Comment From Matt T.
I also appreciate an intelligent person’s view on topics like sabermetrics. I loved hearing guys like Kevin Goldstein present a scouts point of view on controversy like closer mentality or players that don’t fit the sabermetric mold. I feel bad because I feel like Harold Reynolds was forced to be a charicature of the “old school” baseball guy to create debate.

3:05	Comment From Jeff Arthur Can you usurp the Trade Value series and do it more than once a year?

3:05	Jeff Sullivan: Not very much would change. Also like hell am I doing all of that work!

3:05	Comment From mtsw What would be the approximate win percentages on the largest realistic mismatch possible in MLB? Say Kershaw pitching for the 2001 Mariners versus the 2013 Astros with 2014 Ubaldo pitching? Does that get to 90/10?

3:06	Jeff Sullivan: Last Tuesday was insane and impossible. This is more relaxed, being a matinee (on my side of the country) between two more familiar teams. So far I’m managing but I’m not looking at every pitch

3:07	Comment From Steven I have no idea how that response is related to the question in any way at all…

3:07	Jeff Sullivan: Cover It Live is being a real bitch today. Messed up during my chat this morning, too

3:07	Comment From Alex Did you just answer my question without publishing it? I feel like we’re buddies now.

3:07	Jeff Sullivan: This has lately been pretty buggy software, but we don’t have a good alternative

3:07	Jeff Sullivan: Shadows no longer a factor. Cardinals with their first hit!

3:08	Comment From Alex Jeff, how hard is it to pay attention to the game while sorting through all these comments? Are there as many as it seems?

3:08	Jeff Sullivan: (That’s what I answered a few minutes ago)

3:09	Comment From Matt T. Well,he is only throwing a fastball,which I hope you can throw for 70% strikes in the majors. Missing on the breaking ball is the concern for most starter.

3:09	Jeff Sullivan: 67% strike rate on the year, so you’re right. He was wild with his curve and cutter

3:09	Comment From George Matt Carpenter is up. I missed the first AB — any pitches inside?

3:09	Jeff Sullivan: A slider that he took, looking for a fastball

3:10	Comment From Stu “He’s usually 75% fastballs.” They know these things are verifiable, right? How does any producer allow this sort outright falsehood to be uttered?

3:11	Comment From Dunx Mariners’ treatment of Brad Miller is hilarious. Are they just going to keep him on the bench, or look to trade him, or what?

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: He was in an awful slump so they looked for an alternative. Miller played more when he hit more. Might start at short next year, might go Zobrist. He’s apparently a natural in the outfield

3:11	Comment From Ben Calling a Holliday HR

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: Now who looks the fool, Ben

3:11	Comment From Bojack horseman I haven’t gotten any work done in the last hour

3:11	Jeff Sullivan: I have!

3:11	Comment From Jamie The end of your chat this morning was crazy, the last bunch of responses seemed unrelated to the questions.

3:12	Jeff Sullivan: sorry 🙁

3:12	Comment From Jeff I have come to conclusion the umpires are apart of a betting scandal, and they are out to ruin the Dodgers

3:12	Jeff Sullivan: You’d think it would be the Dodgers who would be financially supporting them

3:12	Comment From Guest i think a lot of pitchers miss with secondary pitches, but if they can get people to swing then not such a bad thing right? shelby wasn’t sellign those pitches so no swings = few strikes

3:12	Jeff Sullivan: Guessing Miller’s curve wasn’t missing in the right spots. So people just chose to eliminate it

3:13	Comment From Andrew Does Kershaw’s lower IP total this year have any bearing on short rest or is the penalty solely based on time between starts and not overall workload?

3:13	Jeff Sullivan: The latter. We don’t know what to make of Kershaw’s missed time

3:14	Jeff Sullivan: This is the curveball that Kershaw stopped throwing last time

3:14	Comment From Alex Kershaw is pretty good.

3:14	Comment From Jim Geez the dodgers may just need to scratch one today.

3:15	Jeff Sullivan: Starting to think two runs wins this game

3:15	Jeff Sullivan: Cardinals might need to score in between Kershaw and Jansen somehow

3:16

Comment From Gila Monster
Speaking of Jordan Zimmerman, do you think the Nationals could trade him? They have a stupidly good rotation already,a guy like A.J Cole climbing the ranks, and I believe the revenue sharing money dries up next year for them. Wouldn’t say a Mookie Betts + a bit more make some sense for both teams?

3:17	Jeff Sullivan: He’ll be at least discussed on the market this winter because he has only the one year left of control, but the Red Sox aren’t giving up Mookie Betts for 200 innings

3:17	Comment From Dunx for what it’s worth Kershaw led the NL in innings pitched during the second half of the season, so it’s not like he’s dealing with any less fatigue.

3:18	Comment From Scott Do you think Mattingly will go to Jansen for two innings if Kershaw can only get through 7?

3:18	Jeff Sullivan: Topped out at 1.1 this year. I’m skeptical

3:18	Comment From morF There’s no way Jansen throws less that 2 innings today, right?

3:18	Jeff Sullivan: Boy is there ever some way!

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: Miller’s fastball is giving the Dodgers fits

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: It’s like they keep expecting the curveball

3:19	Comment From Brian Projections for James Paxton, Taijuan Walker next year?

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: No. 2/3, No. 3/4

3:19	Jeff Sullivan: Grichuk looking funny in the #shadows

3:20	Jeff Sullivan: I love the Juan Uribe follow-through

3:20	Comment From Alex What will they talk about when the sun goes down?

3:20	Jeff Sullivan: Nothing. 2 hours of silence

3:21	Comment From Only potatoes how much is the pinch-hit penalty again? thinking about it bc of Puig

3:21	Jeff Sullivan: http://mglbaseball.wordpres…

3:22	Jeff Sullivan: Several points of wOBA

3:22	Comment From Aaron (UK) Yeah, the Red Sox would want Cole as well as Zimmermann

3:23	Comment From mtsw Which will happen first: MLB managers start using their best relievers in high leverage situations instead of saving them for the 9th or NFL head coaches start going for it on 4th down when they’re supposed to?

3:23	Jeff Sullivan: Closers already usually handle high-leverage situations; the cushiony 3-run saves are uncommon. But we will see managers get progressively better about abandoning relief roles

3:23	Comment From aaa shelby miller perfected his approach v. dodgers when he was kept in playoff jail last year

3:24	Comment From Zach A.j. Ellis has a really good eye

3:24	Jeff Sullivan: It’s kind of his thing

3:24	Jeff Sullivan: This is one annoying at-bat for Kershaw

3:24	Comment From George “2 hours of silence.” That would be incredible. Do you ever watch a game on TV with only the ambient ballpark sound?

3:24	Jeff Sullivan: Still haven’t. It would probably weird me out

3:25	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw is amazing

3:25	Jeff Sullivan: Six pitches AND a hit

3:25	Comment From Zach Kershaw rakes

3:25	Comment From Alex Jeff I’m getting sushi for dinner, what are your favorite rolls?

3:25	Jeff Sullivan: I”m a sushi idiot, I’m afraid

3:25	Comment From yasiel was babe ruth a good baserunner?

3:25	Jeff Sullivan: Probably not

3:26	Comment From ralph Do you bookmark things like that MGL study for easy reference, or do you just search for whatever you need and know is out there?

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: I knew it was out there so I googled “pinch-hitter penalty”

3:26	Comment From Scott Looking forward to hockey season yet?

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: I’ll be able to actually pay attention after baseball season

3:26	Comment From Pale Hose So, Paul has been relegated from after dark?

3:26	Jeff Sullivan: Whoops! Dave’s idea!

3:26	Comment From ralph The obvious question is how much better a hitter Kershaw would be on 2 days’ rest.

3:27	Comment From Guest any idea which pitcher has the most natural looking swing?

3:27	Jeff Sullivan: Crowdsource!

3:27	Comment From Scott Bumgarner!

3:27	Comment From Who? I think it was either Greinke or Bumgarner.

3:27	Comment From Jamie How can you be a sushi idiot living in Portland? Aren’t half the restaurants sushi restaurants?

3:28	Jeff Sullivan: I just like it ok, and my girlfriend just likes it ok, so if we’re going out we’ll find something we both like more

3:28	Comment From George Mike Leake looks like a natural.

3:28	Comment From George This is interesting, according to Brooks Baseball, AJ Ellis’s eye wasn’t particularly good this year: http://www.brooksbaseball.n…

3:28	Jeff Sullivan: I was just going off: http://www.fangraphs.com/st… he is, if nothing else, patient

3:28	Comment From aaa As far as good hitters go, i always thought Grienke’s was weirdly ugly for how good he is. Bumgarner’s is seriously nice.

3:28	Comment From ralph Kenley Jansen is a switch-hitter. Wonder which side he looks more natural from.

3:29	Comment From Guest People forget that the A’s set the market with the Samardjiza trade. 1 year of Zimmermann roughly = 1.5 year of Samardjiza. And I think most teams would still prefer Russell to Betts

3:29	Jeff Sullivan: The situation is different in the offseason than it is in July. Zimmermann isn’t bringing a Russell/Betts talent by himself

3:30	Comment From THE BASEDGOD speaking of strasburg vs. zimmermann for game 5 – In game 2012 zimmerman came in for an innning of relief – 12 pitches 9 strikes 3 Ks and was topping 97 on the radar gun. That would be mighty fine relief if Stras is looking shaky

3:30	Comment From Alex Anyone know how I can mute the commentators?

3:30	Comment From Alex pitchers hitting is fun. does anybody like the dh rule?

3:30	Jeff Sullivan: I do and don’t. I like it both ways although I love being able to write about pitchers at the plate

3:30	Comment From Edgar Martinez I like the DH rule.

3:30	Comment From Ben dh sucks! not baseball

3:30	Jeff Sullivan: Matt Garza hitting also isn’t baseball

3:30	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know what it is

3:31	Comment From ralph During the regular season, you can get crowd-noise only broadcasts on Roku’s MLB.tv implementation.

3:31	Comment From AJT I like the fact that the leagues are different myself. I think it’s more fun.

3:31	Comment From Darth Stout Matt Garza screaming > Matt Garza hitting.

3:31	Comment From Dunx SPOILERS: if you’re a fan of an AL team, you like the DH. If you’re a fan of an NL team, you hate the DH. The argument’s exhausting.

3:31	Comment From Ben yeah, but then you take that into consideration when signing him. He’s gotta hit. That’s baseball. The players on the field swing the bat. NL baseball is so much better…..

3:31	Comment From Who? I honestly sort of like that each league has it’s own thing.

3:32	Comment From Who? Makes interleague play a mess though.

3:32	Jeff Sullivan: AL pitchers hitting! It’s amazing!

3:32	Jeff Sullivan: AL pitchers this year: -41 wRC+ NL pitchers this year: -17 wRC+

3:33	Comment From Aaron (UK) Not quite as amazing as DH’s pitching, but close.

3:33	Comment From aaa SEAN DOOLITTLE HAD A PINCH HITTING APPEARANCE AND IT WAS FANTASTIC.

3:33	Comment From mtsw If you unplug the center channel on most sound systems you’ll effectively mute the commentators on sports broadcasts since they usually don’t pump that audio to the side channels.

3:33	Comment From aaa Most likely way the A’s solve their SS problems this offseason? Trade? Doing the boring thing and just resigning Jed Lowrie?

3:34	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder if they take the gamble on Stephen Drew. not going to be expensive

3:35	Comment From Tim why was the DH added only to the AL?

3:35	Jeff Sullivan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wik…

3:36	Jeff Sullivan: owner votes

3:36	Jeff Sullivan: Is this kind of play reviewable?

3:37	Jeff Sullivan: Presumably this is reviewable. That was obviously a foul ball

3:37	Comment From Ben I remember Iwakuma hitting earlier this season. Then Lloyd told him not to swing. He got a walk on 4 pitches.

3:37	Jeff Sullivan: Pitchers are really really really not that good at strikes

3:38	Comment From Guest Foul balls in the infield is not reviewable

3:38	Comment From ralph I was really hoping the Fox baseball theme music was incapable of stopping until they went to commerical.

3:38	Comment From Tim This weird

3:38	Comment From Zach Would you have challenged?

3:38	Jeff Sullivan: Definitely, if I could. I’m a little unclear on the rules but that was plain as day

3:38	Comment From Jamie Have managers been told not to use reviews today?

3:39	Jeff Sullivan: We’re on pace for a sub-3 hour playoff game! Except for the no runs part

3:39	Comment From Matt So this play just goes completely wrong now?

3:39	Comment From Andrew Speaking of SS problems…Yankees? Is JJ Hardy a realistic fit?

3:39	Jeff Sullivan: Seems like a fit to me. I almost expect it

3:39	Comment From ralph In a 0-0 game, are we technically on pace for an infinite game?

3:39	Jeff Sullivan: I know I’m not on pace for an infinite chat.

3:40	Comment From Deelron Now instead of shadows we can hear about a challenge not taken for the remainder of the game. Fantastic.

3:40	Jeff Sullivan: As noted earlier, that was officially a non-reviewable play. They’ll probably change that for 2015, but for the time being, whoopsadoodle

3:41	Comment From Zach So, how is there a runner on first?

3:41	Jeff Sullivan: wait what

3:41	Jeff Sullivan: What just happened!

3:41	Comment From Zach Exactly my point

3:41	Comment From Jamie Totally missed that

3:41	Comment From Zach Thanks Fox

3:41	Comment From Stu Fox has missed the first PA back from commercial break at least 5 times in the 4 game series

3:41	Comment From Steven When no runs have been scored in a playoff game through 5 innings, you start with a runner on first.

3:42	Jeff Sullivan: Miller’s on his third time through the lineup and now he’s already in a jam. Bullpen has to be stirring

3:42	Comment From BDF DH is arbitrary. The argument is always, no one pays to see pitchers hit. By that argument (everyone wants to see the best performer doing each job), why not have nine men in the field and nine different men who hit?

3:42	Jeff Sullivan: DH was implemented because nobody was scoring. Now scoring is almost down again to the same levels

3:43	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe done groove a fastball to Matt Kemp next time

3:44	Comment From Matt Seems Fox is unwilling to cut commercials short when TBS has done it multiple times

3:44	Comment From Guest best thing about playoff baseball is that the broadcasts have no idea what they’re doing

3:44	Comment From NLoL The worst thing about this inning is that it is going to end with a bases loaded groundout by Kershaw

3:44	Comment From Zach At what point do the dodgers squeeze?

3:45	Jeff Sullivan: Only with the pitcher or Gordon

3:45	Comment From Ben What do you think the standings in the AL West is going to look like next season

3:45	Jeff Sullivan: Angels, Mariners, A’s, Rangers, Astros

3:45	Jeff Sullivan: Now for the reminder about how you don’t get an RBI for a run-scoring double play

3:46	Jeff Sullivan: But we have a run! Back to being on pace for a sub-3 hour game!

3:46	Comment From Tim the game isnt on pace for an infinite game anymore. kinda sad, i want to indefinitely delay my homework.

3:46	Comment From BDF Easier or harder, better or worse, doing a chat without DC?

3:46	Jeff Sullivan: I feel like it’s probably less interesting for you guys. Twice the people means twice the content. I like chatting with Dave when we have the chance

3:46	Comment From Rated Rookie Why so much Grichuk and so little Taveras?

3:46	Jeff Sullivan: They like Grichuk more right now, especially with the R/L thing

3:47	Comment From mtsw I work in the TV industry, and many of my coworkers did sports for decades. According to all of them that I’ve asked, baseball is by far the most difficult sport to shoot. Just something to consider next time you slam the broadcast for missing something.

3:47	Comment From fivetoolmike Still no mention of how Crawford got on first. Especially annoying since he’s now scored the only run.

3:47	Comment From THE BASEDGOD if u like chatting with dave then stay for the nats game! i

3:47	Jeff Sullivan: I also don’t want to spend nine hours today staring at Cover It Live

3:47	Comment From Who? Crawford reached on a line drive to right according to Gameday.

3:48	Comment From Guest pinch hit puig and use him to squeeze bunt, just for the lulz.

3:48	Jeff Sullivan: Miller’s fastball is getting really wild and it’s missing some steam. He needs to be out as soon as possible

3:48	Comment From Guest Taveras was also really, really, really bad this year. Grichuk wasn’t great, but Taveras didn’t exactly earn any postseason playing time.

3:49	Jeff Sullivan: Bullpennnnnn

3:49	Jeff Sullivan: This is what a fatigued pitcher looks like. Needs another good strike

3:50	Comment From Who? Update on Miller’s fastball/non-fastball ratio?

3:50	Jeff Sullivan: About 90%, including cutters

3:50	Jeff Sullivan: Miller has just lost it

3:51	Comment From Alex Now that dodgers have scored, what are the odds cardinals end up winning?

3:51	Jeff Sullivan: about 30%

3:51	Jeff Sullivan: mentally adjusted for Kershaw/Jansen

3:51	Jeff Sullivan: That pitch was a strike

3:52	Jeff Sullivan: That pitch was a *borderline strike

3:52	Jeff Sullivan: So the Cardinals have to be happy to have gotten what they did from Miller, but he lost it fast. Happened around 70 pitches. Pitching in a scoreless game is stressful

3:53	Comment From Guest QUICK, PUT HIM BACK IN POSTSEASON JAIL

3:54	Comment From Zach I know it was only 322 ABs, but would you be shocked if I told you a player with a 157 wRC+ was sitting on the bench

3:54	Jeff Sullivan: I would, given only those details!

3:54	Comment From Yoopka Have more people been complaining about bad strike zones lately or have umps just been worse this post season, or both?

3:54	Jeff Sullivan: Every year, there’s more attention on this stuff

3:54	Jeff Sullivan: And we really only remember what’s been happening recently

3:55	Jeff Sullivan: http://www.fangraphs.com/bl…

3:55	Jeff Sullivan: Aaaaaand Uribe’d. Cardinals will have two innings to score between Kershaw’s 6th and Jansen’s 9th

3:55	Comment From Alex Game over

3:56	Jeff Sullivan: Just like Game 1!

3:56	Comment From Who? That was a meatball of a pitch.

3:56	Jeff Sullivan: Sinkers down the middle aren’t really sinkers

3:56	Comment From Zach That guy who predicted Kershaw would end the inning with the bases loaded might be right

3:57	Jeff Sullivan: How did Molina know to do that so quickly

3:58	Jeff Sullivan: He just automatically threw down to third base, on a line, with perfect accuracy

3:58	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know if he got the out but even not getting an out on that is incredible

3:58	Comment From Matt Nice camera work there

3:58	Comment From Alex He’s out

3:58	Comment From Guest I wonder if the times through the order penalty is higher for fastball heavy pitchers,especially withot elite velocity.

3:59	Jeff Sullivan: Could be a thing where you prefer a broader repertoire that lets you get deeper with more weapons

3:59	Comment From Zach It looked like Ethier was jogging back

3:59	Jeff Sullivan: You never expect the Molina

3:59	Jeff Sullivan: Got him. Huge out on an amazing play

3:59	Comment From Conor Why have instant replay when we could just go by player reactions?

3:59	Comment From mcgolfin Would be nice if there was one camera, out of all the cameras that doesn’t shield the tag

3:59	Comment From mg WHAT WAS PUIG DOING OUT THERE?!?!?!?!

4:00	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Puig would have been out at the plate, so …

4:01	Comment From Andrew If you’re Mattingly who is your bridge to Jansen tonight? Haren?

4:01	Jeff Sullivan: Frias or Baez, with a lefty mixed in

4:02	Comment From Gabe Is it bad that I want to root against the Royals because I don’t want Dayton Moore to think he’s good at his job?

4:02	Jeff Sullivan: The heart wants what it wants

4:03	Comment From Steven Wasn’t there an FG article this year about how awful player reactions are ate determining the outcome of a replay?

4:03	Jeff Sullivan: I wrote that! That took a lot of time. I don’t know why I did that.

4:04	Comment From Guest what the heck. I’m an A’s fan, so I’ve been watching about a decade of catchers who couldn’t throw if their life depended on it. i didn’t know plays like that were allowed.

4:04	Comment From Shauntell Why didn’t Matheny have the bullpen ready at the start of the 6th inning? We’re talking about a starting pitcher who was worth 0.2 WAR this season…

4:04	Jeff Sullivan: Your guess is as good as mine. It’s not like Miller was outstanding in the fifth

4:05	Comment From Itsmidnighthere So what’s the deal with Justin Turner?

4:05	Jeff Sullivan: Complete nonsense. Don’t know how to explain that one

4:06	Comment From Who? If Kershaw gets through the 6th with under 100 pitches, do you try and throw him back out there for the 7th?

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: But man is it tempting

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: Perfect strikeout fastball for Carpenter

4:06	Jeff Sullivan: Pinpointed his weak spot in the zone

4:06	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Is BJ playing CF in LA next year, and Ethier playing right for the Braves?

4:07	Jeff Sullivan: Seems more like we’re destined for BJ for Edwin Jackson

4:07	Comment From Darth Stout Can Kershaw pitch game 5?

4:07	Jeff Sullivan: Never know unless you try!

4:07	Jeff Sullivan: I wonder what he’d look like.

4:07	Jeff Sullivan: THOUGHT EXPERIMENT

4:08	Comment From Evergreen Bowl Subdivision Are these guys paying you enough that you’ll be able to open that Volcano themed brewery I always wanted

4:08	Jeff Sullivan: http://www.doublemountainbr…

4:08	Comment From Andrew Mattingly is definitely rolling with Kershaw into the 7th.

4:09	Jeff Sullivan: So Kershaw is going to be really hard to yank

4:09	Jeff Sullivan: 94 pitches, 15 swinging strikes, seven grounders, two fly balls

4:10	Jeff Sullivan: Moment of truth with Kershaw due to bat. How little does Mattingly trust his bullpen because of what ‘s happened recently?

4:10	Jeff Sullivan: Imagine what Kershaw would be doing today if he weren’t tipping his pitches

4:10	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Higher career WAR, Kershaw or Glavine. 37 to 64 right now.

4:10	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw

4:10	Comment From David Dodgers radio just referred to their bullpen as “an Indiana Jones rickety bridge” to the closer.

4:10	Comment From Yo-Yo What are Thursday’s odds, 55/45 Dodgers?

4:11	Jeff Sullivan: With home field, maybe a little higher

4:11	Comment From Darth Stout God why would the Cubs acquire a worse player making more money?

4:11	Jeff Sullivan: There would also be money exchanged

4:11	Comment From Dunx Kershaw pitches every Dodgers game from now on. 162 starts. over 1000 innings. Do it, Mattingly.

4:11	Comment From Guest Except Edwin Jackson still could be decent. The stuff is there. No convinced BJ Upton is more than Junior Jake now. They are so similar it is sad.

4:12	Jeff Sullivan: Jackson is a pitcher with good-enough stuff and bad results. Upton is a hitter with good-enough talent and bad results

4:12	Jeff Sullivan: And now we learn

4:12	Jeff Sullivan: Now batting:

4:12	Jeff Sullivan: Clayton Kershaw!

4:13	Jeff Sullivan: I’m okay with it. He looks like himself. I’m in favor of pulling starters early, but Kershaw is also the best starter in baseball so he gets a longer leash. But I don’t let him get too into trouble in the 7th

4:14	Comment From BDF Mistake or not to leave Kershaw in? Given all the arguments that have been put forth about postseason managing and also that it’s 3 days rest, I think it’s hard for FG to argue that leaving him in is justified.

4:14	Jeff Sullivan: It’s a really tough call, but his advantage — when he’s normal Kershaw — over all other pitchers is pretty substantial, and the Dodgers don’t have a good bridge before Jansen

4:14	Jeff Sullivan: This isn’t like Zimmermann vs. Storen

4:15	Comment From Yo-Yo At the beginning of the season, I asked you if Pujols would get to 100 WAR. You said no. After a 3 WAR season, what do you say? Same?

4:15	Jeff Sullivan: I think he just misses

4:15	Comment From Who is Zorbist? I remember last year’s playoffs ended for the Rays with Price warming up in the pen, even though he was scheduled to start the next game. Should Mattingly go to Greinke, and have a bullpen day game 5?

4:15	Jeff Sullivan: No!

4:16	Comment From Dano What about bringing Haren in to go full-blast for an inning or two? If they had elected to pull Kershaw.

4:16	Jeff Sullivan: Might actually be what happens. I’d start warming Haren right now, to give him the time

4:16	Comment From Vilnius B. Or as your readers pointed out so astutely yesterday, this isn’t Storen vs. a left handed Sandoval.

4:16	Jeff Sullivan: ?

4:18	Jeff Sullivan: Marco Gonzales is bleeding on television

4:18	Jeff Sullivan: It is a pleasure to be able to watch Dee Gordon move

4:19	Comment From Jose Is it dumb to think Beane might be interested in Francisco Cervelli?

4:19	Jeff Sullivan: He’s probably interested in every catcher

4:20	Comment From Zach Wainwrights start is in question for game 5. What would the odds be Wainwright vs Lynn?

4:21	Jeff Sullivan: Just mathematically, of course there are higher odds with Wainwright, but if his arm is truly bothering him — which is must be — then the numbers aren’t accurate enough. A 100% Lynn is very possibly superior to a hampered Wainwright

4:21	Comment From Guest Who wins in a cagefight, Kershaw or Wainwright

4:21	Jeff Sullivan: Kershaw

4:21	Comment From Gila Monster The problem I have with leaving Kershaw in is that he is suffering a penalty from short rest and one from times through the order. I’d still take him with one, but not sure about both.

4:22

Jeff Sullivan: I agree and that’s why these things are so hard. We don’t know what the short-rest penalty is for him today, specifically. We don’t know how he feels. He seems to feel great! But no matter what happens here, I think Mattingly made a questionable decision that you also cannot really argue with. If you’re watching Kershaw, he just mowed the Cardinals down.

4:22	Comment From Alex Man…I really liked Fitz and the Tantrums before the playoffs

4:22	Jeff Sullivan: It’s at least the best song they’ve featured like this in years

4:22	Comment From Yoopka What do you think is the most undervalued position?

4:22	Jeff Sullivan: Catcher

4:23

Comment From Dunx
RE: A’s looking for catchers: For what it’s worth, Norris isn’t actually that bad defensively. He’s pretty average, he was just dealing with severe back/shoulder problems during the Wild Card game and the run-up to it. Plus Vogt’ll catch next year. Tough to imagine Beane looking for more than just catcher depth.

4:23	Jeff Sullivan: I keep waiting for the A’s to have a framer, at least as an available backup

4:24	Comment From LGAngels27 Is Lance Lynn underrated or overrated?

4:24	Jeff Sullivan: I think people don’t really know who he is, despite his prior postseason experience

4:24	Jeff Sullivan: Now you really start with the bullpen because Kershaw isn’t used to pitching out of the stretch today

4:25	Comment From Dunx I don’t have the stats handy, but via eyeball test I always thought Vogt was a good framer.

4:25	Jeff Sullivan: Pretty average, but not a framing specialist

4:25	Jeff Sullivan: Maybe he’ll get better!

4:25	Comment From Jose here we go

4:25	Comment From Owen Uh oh

4:25	Comment From Zach Is there evidence offspeed pitches are worse on the arm?

4:26	Jeff Sullivan: There should be some journal articles available on the Google. not all offspeed pitches are created or thrown the same

4:26	Jeff Sullivan: Something is caught in Kershaw’s beard

4:26	Jeff Sullivan: Two hits that could’ve been outs! Potentially

4:26	Comment From Owen UH OH!!

4:26	Comment From Jose ITS HAPPENING

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: Pretty good pitch, too. This is getting rough

4:27	Comment From Joe Is there a particular place you get your game odds or is it mostly estimation?

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: In-game, FanGraphs scoreboard

4:27	Comment From Tyler whats in his beard?!

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: Something small and white!

4:27	Jeff Sullivan: A fuzzy!

4:28	Comment From Yoopka Whats the most overvauled position?

4:28	Jeff Sullivan: First base

4:28	Comment From Yo-Yo Adams has to be the last guy he faces, right? Even with a double play or something…

4:28	Jeff Sullivan: Should be

4:28	Comment From Zach Stay with high fastballs

4:28	Jeff Sullivan: No way

4:28	Jeff Sullivan: NO WAY

4:28	Comment From Darth Stout I hate everyone and everything.

4:28	Comment From Deelron Oh my.

4:28	Comment From Jose WHAT

4:29	Comment From Tyler oh

4:29	Comment From Alex Wow.

4:29	Jeff Sullivan: We have learned something today

4:29	Jeff Sullivan: Belt-high hanging curve, middle-middle

4:29	Jeff Sullivan: So much for the post I was going to write about Kershaw’s strategy!

4:30	Comment From Guest My dad is yelling “Come on Cards! Come on Cards!” knowing full well that I want LA to win. What retribution can I take right now?

4:30	Jeff Sullivan: Quit your job and move home

4:30	Comment From David Cardinal magic pixie dust strikes again.

4:30	Comment From BurleighGrimes Is this real?

4:32	Comment From Deelron If I didn’t think anything could happen in playoff baseball… lets say I would be convinced now.

4:32	Comment From Dano We learned that Don Mattingly needs to lose his job?

4:32	Jeff Sullivan: It would’ve been almost impossible to remove Kershaw there

4:32	Jeff Sullivan: Basically no manager would’ve done it

4:32	Comment From Yoopka How much do you think the bullpen collapses in the past games influenced Mattingly to keep Kershaw in?

4:32	Jeff Sullivan: Some bullpen, mostly Kershaw and recency bias

4:33	Comment From Deelron It’s still a good post, he just missed badly once and paid for it.

4:33	Jeff Sullivan: Feels weird though to write about a guy’s adjusted approach when he ends up the possible loser

4:33	Comment From ralph At 3:55 – 3:56 Comment From Alex Game over Jeff Sullivan: Just like Game 1!

4:33	Comment From John Jeff, I think you let your emotions get the better of you. This was not a difficult decision. There was no justification for leaving Kershaw in to hit in the 7th.

4:33	Jeff Sullivan: That’s a really easy thing to say now

4:34	Jeff Sullivan: You can’t say there was no justification. It’s a matter of whether there was enough justification. It’s complicated! It’s always complicated!

4:34	Jeff Sullivan: Obviously I’ll be writing about this tomorrow

4:35	Comment From ralph 4:06 Comment From Who? If Kershaw gets through the 6th with under 100 pitches, do you try and throw him back out there for the 7th? 4:06 Jeff Sullivan: I don’t

4:35	Jeff Sullivan: That’s me, but I’m not an MLB manager, and I don’t think any manager removes Kershaw under those circumstances. If any do, maybe it’s like 1 or 2 or 3

4:36	Comment From Mike At least when the Cards/Giants advance, I can just not watch the entire NLCS

4:36	Jeff Sullivan: A popular approach!

4:36	Comment From Jose this is just a set up for Puig’s HR

4:37	Comment From Ben So the question now, why was 3 batters allowed but not 4? Shouldn’t Mattingly’s logic permit him to leave Kershaw out there still?

4:37	Jeff Sullivan: Lefties

4:37	Comment From Norman Wouldn’t recency bias have had the klaxons and sirens going off when Kershaw opened up the 7th with back to back hits?

4:37	Jeff Sullivan: The pitches weren’t bad and defensive plays could’ve been made

4:38	Comment From John The boss gets paid a lot of money to make unpopular decisions. If he just does what pitchers want, why is he even there?

4:38	Jeff Sullivan: That is an oversimplification

4:38	Comment From Compton What happens if another fangraphs writer also wants to write about that tomorrow? Do you have dibs in the form of this chat? Or how do you work this all out?

4:38	Jeff Sullivan: We have a means of private communication so that we don’t often step on toes

4:39	Comment From Sean Is it weird that I feel bad for 3 time cy young, mvp player with a $215 millon contract right now?

4:39	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t think that’s weird. He’s a pretty great guy who’s trying his best and he failed

4:40	Comment From Zen Madman How to beat Clayton Kershaw in 2 easy steps: 1) Make it to the postseason. 2) Be the Cardinals.

4:40	Comment From Dunx ideally you take out Kershaw after six just because he’s on 3 days rest. But seriously, the Dodgers bullpen is a mess.

4:40	Jeff Sullivan: What’s really interesting is when Kershaw did this last year, he was removed after 91 pitches. This time they tried to be more aggressive

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: He was removed for Belisario, and not for a pinch-hitter

4:41	Comment From Mike Can something go wrong against the Cardinals, just once, in the postseason?

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: Matt Kemp hit a dinger!

4:41	Comment From THE BASEDGOD sigh im so done with the cardinals and giants. like, we get it, you’re good in the playoffs now lets some other teams win. How rude

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: That’s why this year’s AL slate is so refreshing

4:41	Comment From Paul Do you believe the Cardinals’ hitters can legitimately hit Kershaw relatively better than Kershaw’s dominance would suggest?

4:41	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t

4:42	Comment From Lawdog “I hope someone hacks and releases all the FanGraphs’ writers private communications” said no one, ever.

4:42	Jeff Sullivan: Whole bunch of topic-claiming, and the occasional automated traffic report!

4:42	Comment From Who? Clearly the stars are aligning for a Cards/Royals pixie dust bonanza world series. There’s no other explanation for this madness.

4:42	Comment From Tyler so which RP does LA overpay in the offseason?

4:42	Jeff Sullivan: Brian Wilson

4:42

Comment From Matt T.
I think a commonly underrated factor is we aren’t experts on pitchers. If we were managers or a pitching coach, we could catch breakdowns in mechanics or missing command. Or trust a pitcher,especially and elite one, if they thought guys were getting used to their stuff. It is so easy to say things in hindsight,which as an analysis, you are almost forced to do.

4:43	Comment From BDF What is the evidence that Kershaw is a pretty great guy? The public statements of a guy who’s been training for the spotlight in a media-saturated age for at least ten years?

4:43	Jeff Sullivan: You’re right, maybe he’s a shithead, I don’t know

4:44	Jeff Sullivan: I’m lying, I do know http://en.wikipedia.org/wik…

4:44	Comment From Alex A >3 hour game seems like a pipe dream now.

4:44	Jeff Sullivan: A >3 hour game seems like an inevitability

4:44	Comment From john silly question, but assuming the dodgers dont come back, how much do these two playoff starts affect kershaws MVP chances, since they will be in recent memory

4:44	Jeff Sullivan: Voting’s already done

4:45	Comment From Guest I always wonder why people are ‘done’ with teams in the playoffs. can’t we enjoy good games and not worry about who is playing – maybe the Cubs should be in the playoffs so we could see them blow!

4:45	Jeff Sullivan: Certain teams just happen to bore certain people. Builds over time. Everybody likes the feel of a fresh bunch of players. Like, I couldn’t be sicker of the damned Red Wings

4:46	Comment From danil a royals-cards world series would be the worst

4:46	Jeff Sullivan: Yankees/Mets was the worst

4:46	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Which Fangrapher would be most embarassed if his private communications were made public?

4:46	Jeff Sullivan: I’m constantly sexting

4:46	Jeff Sullivan: sexting right now

4:47	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Kershaw goes to Africa to help kids. He doesn;t just cut checks. When Manute Bol died, I heard someone say “Most athletes go broke on women, entourages, or cars. Manute Bol went broke building Hospitals.” I suspect Kershaw, if he goes broke, will do the same.

4:47	Jeff Sullivan: I love watching Pat Neshek pitch more than I love watching Dee Gordon run

4:48	Comment From Dano I’d like to see the Royals “outluck” the Cardinals in the WS.

4:48	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t know what would happen if the Royals were to win the World Series but I bet that would be an interesting experience to experience.

4:49	Comment From Compton What makes a regional world series the worst, just that the story lines are shifted away from baseball?

4:49	Jeff Sullivan: Regional World Series can be okay. New York World Series cannot though

4:49	Comment From Guest The thing about STL is that they are a pretty different team almost every year – what their rotation has 2 guys in it from last years playoffs

4:49	Jeff Sullivan: Totally legitimate to note that the Cardinals are always changing and always innovating. Also totally legitimate to just be tired of their uniforms and stadium

4:50	Comment From Zach I’m going to treat the ALCS like the World Series because I’m absolutely sick of the Giants and Cardinals

4:50	Jeff Sullivan: like the 2003 ALCS

4:50	Jeff Sullivan: there was a World Series that year. who cared?

4:50	Comment From Seth Neshek:pitching::Pence:playing outfield

4:50	Comment From Jose Remember when Eithier was going to win the triple crown?

4:50	Jeff Sullivan: actually literally no

4:51	Comment From AJT If the Dodgers lose, can I create a narrative about Puig’s energy not being in the lineup costing the Dodgers?

4:51	Jeff Sullivan: You sure can! Anybody can create a postseason narrative!

4:51	Comment From Mike I think Royals/Cards would be pretty brutal, given how boring both teams play

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: I do not understand

4:52	Comment From Ben Who do you think the Nationals would have an easier time beating if they make it to the CS?

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: Cardinals

4:52	Comment From john why cant a ny world series be ok?

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: Can’t, sorry. Them’s the rules

4:52	Comment From Larry Bernandez LAA lost in 3 games. LAD is struggling. OAK got knocked out, and SF might be the only Clifornia team advancing. Why don’t California teams play better in playoffs?

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: Postseason narrative!

4:52	Comment From Alex 2003 ALCS? You mean 2004?

4:52	Jeff Sullivan: Actually I meant them both kind of

4:53	Comment From Tony Fernandez Kershaw has 19 strikeouts and 2 walks in 12.2 innings pitched this postseason, yet has a 7.8 ERA. Has anyone else had this ridiculous of a result?

4:53	Comment From john i mostly hate cardinals fans – so entitled

4:53	Jeff Sullivan: If it helps, every team in the world has a selection of super shitty fans

4:53	Jeff Sullivan: Like, did you see the video of Cardinals fans yesterday arguing against Ferguson protestors? Terrible look! And also every football team has supporters who would act the same kind of dreadful

4:54	Comment From Andrew Puig is definitely going to K to end the game just to annoy me more.

4:54	Comment From Guest STL has a nice staduim and even better uniforms

4:54	Jeff Sullivan: And a great organization!

4:54	Comment From THE BASEDGOD i’m more tired of cardinals fans. “best fans in baseball” my arse

4:54	Jeff Sullivan: I can’t tell if people are actually sick of cardinals fans or if they just think they’re supposed to say that on the internet because everybody else is

4:55	Comment From shannon My brother just told me something that I haven’t confirmed yet, but if true it is insane: that is the first HR Kershaw has allowed to a LHB on his curveball of his entire MLB career

4:55	Jeff Sullivan: Accurate!

4:55	Jeff Sullivan: All three others were by righties!

4:55	Comment From Compton Does anyone actually drink Budweiser?

4:55	Jeff Sullivan: Worst hangover of my life, once

4:55	Comment From THE BASEDGOD only cardinals fans call themselves the best in baseball

4:56	Jeff Sullivan: Every team though calls its fans the best fans in baseball

4:56	Comment From Tony Fernandez Does Mattingly get fired for benching his best position player in an elimination game?

4:56	Jeff Sullivan: No, because that position player wasn’t doing so hot

4:56	Comment From Vic Romano As a non-Cardinal fan currently living in St Louis….I’m 1000000000% sick of Cardinal fans.

4:56	Comment From Krusty would be interesting if Puig and Trout end their respective LA teams’ playoffs run.

4:56	Comment From Guest Kershaw builds an orphanage in Africa,donated $492K in 2011,when he only made $500k. Wouldn’t be surprised if he joins the Bill Gates/Buffet charity club

4:56	Comment From Yuni I hate the Cardinals out of pure jealousy, like a real man.

4:56	Comment From David well the best fans in baseball bullshit can really piss you off

4:57	Jeff Sullivan: To be honest I’m isolated from this stuff. I’m in Portland. Nobody talks about the Cardinals here and I’ve never been to St. Louis

4:57	Comment From Tony Fernandez Are fat players more prone to hit big dongers against the Dodgers in the postseason (Matt Adams, Matt Stairs)? Or is it just guys named Matt (Adams, Stairs, Carpenter)?

4:58	Comment From Nick What the hell is a Grichuk

4:58	Jeff Sullivan: 25% of a lousy trade by the Angels

4:58	Comment From Mike Whose the most talented team to not make the next round: Dodgers, Angels, Tigers?

4:58	Jeff Sullivan: That’s hard — like, Josh Hamilton is incredibly talented, but also totally lost, you know?

4:59	Jeff Sullivan: And do you include names like Richards and Skaggs?

4:59	Jeff Sullivan: As is, Dodgers, if they lose

5:00	Comment From Barry Schoenfield tweeted that Dunn hit one off a Kershaw curve in 2010, and he’s a lefty so YMMV.

5:00	Jeff Sullivan: now I need to investigate for myself

5:02	Jeff Sullivan: http://m.mlb.com/video/v106…

5:02	Jeff Sullivan: Looks like a slider to me

5:03	Comment From ralph So, League over Jansen.

5:03	Jeff Sullivan: Missed that bit while I was watching Adam Dunn. lol

5:03	Comment From Mike You know if Mattingly took Kershaw out, and the reliever gave up a 3-run HR, everyone would be screaming “You gotta leave Kershaw in”

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: It’s impossible to not be biased to some extent by the way things play out. We’re great at being humans, but we suck at being computers

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: So presumably Puig in this inning…

5:04	Jeff Sullivan: Uribe just tried to tie it up right away

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: I’m a big fan of pitcher assists

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: When the throws are accurate

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: and when they’re not accurate!

5:05	Jeff Sullivan: There’s that computer ding behind Buck again

5:06	Comment From Ron In Sept/Oct Puig had a 136 wRC+. We’re massively overreacting to a few bad plate appearances by saying it’s ok to bench him. It’s akin to holding back Kershaw tonight because he was killed in the 7th inning a few days ago.

5:06	Jeff Sullivan: It’s not completely akin to that, because Mattingly knows better than anyone how Puig is behaving and handling himself. I don’t want to blindly appeal to authority but Puig has had some lousy at-bats. That doesn’t mean nothing and he’s been slow against hard fastballs like Miller has

5:07	Jeff Sullivan: Puig’s in! as a pinch-runner…

5:07	Jeff Sullivan: Great plate appearance from Ellis to reach

5:08	Comment From Zach There’s this guy I’ve mentioned at least 5 times in this chat name Justin Turner, does he get used?

5:08	Jeff Sullivan: Over Puig!

5:09	Comment From keke speaking of pitchers fielding… what are your thoughts when a pitcher error leads to runs like madbum’s miscue yesterday. Earned?

5:09	Jeff Sullivan: Should be earned

5:09	Comment From Guest my favorite thing pitchers do is point to their fly balls. does that ever help?

5:09	Jeff Sullivan: It’s never helped even once!

5:09	Jeff Sullivan: Except in the #shadows

5:10	Comment From Guest What is the most drunk you’ve seen a Fangraphs writer?(I imagine it was Eno)

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: Extremely and correct!

5:10	Comment From Tony Fernandez Justin Turner, over Van Slyke and Puig?

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: #2014

5:10	Comment From Mike Puig has to be picked off, right?

5:10	Jeff Sullivan: Turner has to make an out first

5:11	Comment From Hank Any evidence to umps calling the zone to the count more in late innings? (more strikes on 2-0,3-1; fewer on 0-2,1-2, etc)

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: Don’t know about late innings, definitely know by count

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: Oh my god was Turner ever under that pitch

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: He swung UNDER a fastball at the knees

5:11	Jeff Sullivan: Not a chance

5:12	Jeff Sullivan: This game has to end with Puig making an out at home on a two-out single

5:12	Comment From David Seriously, has Rosenthal thrown a single pitch accurately to Molina’s target?

5:12	Jeff Sullivan: When you’re 99, you don’t really have to

5:12	Jeff Sullivan: Incredible series. Two Kershaw starts, two losses for the Dodgers. What’s an ace in the playoffs?

5:13	Jeff Sullivan: The Cardinals beat Kershaw twice without getting anything out of Wainwright

5:14	Comment From Dunx another Cardinals NLCS. I blame Mattingly for everything.

5:14	Comment From Ruki Clayton Kershaw 0-2. Baseball!

5:14	Comment From Who is Zorbist? first pitch swinging

5:14	Jeff Sullivan: In fairness, right down the middle

5:14	Comment From Mike T Lester, Price… now Kershaw. Aces falling!

5:14	Jeff Sullivan: Lester!

5:14	Comment From Mike T Mattingly’s hot seat next year is going to be pretty warm..

5:15	Comment From Guest No way Dee Gordon should’ve started in this series. 64 SB’s or not, when baserunners are a premium in the playoffs, and you don’t steal, you need someone who can actually put the ball in play

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: I don’t understand

5:15	Comment From Ruki I just realized the Cardinals only had 4 hits.

5:15	Comment From Andrew Hey, know what was a big play in this game? Andre Ethier getting picked off of third base.

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: Or the lead-changing three-run dinger

5:15	Jeff Sullivan: but another case where Yadier Molina did something amazing!

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: #ownerhigh-fives

5:16	Comment From Larry Bernandez Kershaw didn’t even do poorly. No offense to the Dodgers, but… No offense

5:16	Comment From Catoblepas go nationals, please god go nationals

5:16	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Gardenhire is where in 4 months?

5:16	Jeff Sullivan: an RV somewhere in the southwest

5:16	Comment From Jon If this continues (e.g. bad starts from Wainwright, Shields, Bumgarner), will it impact the market for top starters?

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Nah, aces will always be perceived as game-changers

5:17	Comment From bob Would people feel more sympathetic towards Cardinals fans if they realized we’re all also Rams and Blues fans? Cause at least that sucks.

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Just like how Pirates fans are also Steelers and Penguins fans. There’s more than just the baseball team! These people aren’t necessarily always happy or sad!

5:17	Comment From Zach The worst part is people aren’t going to remember Kershaw was dominating in both games of this series

5:17	Comment From Guest Having Dee Gordon lead off, as a sub .250 hitter, and zero OBP skill, is a terrible idea. Did Gordon affect the series on the basepaths?

5:17	Jeff Sullivan: Dee Gordon was good this year

5:18	Comment From Guest Ironically Puig replacement killed his team with bad baserunning

5:18	Comment From Mael Kershaw allowed 14 baserunners in this series.. 11 scored. Ridiculous.

5:18	Comment From Who is Zorbist? Why is Shields being included in this “struggling”. 5 2/3 2 runs. Ventura gave up the homer, not Shields. Then 6 IP, 2ER.

5:18	Jeff Sullivan: He hasn’t been great. Helped a ton by the defense

5:19	Comment From Compton Matt Adams HR: .436 WPA

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: All right you guys, I’m going to close out of this window now

5:19	Comment From Dunx Bumgarner really shouldn’t be included as struggling too. Literally his only mistake in the playoffs so far has been not throwing to first like a normal person.

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: Yeah Bumgarner’s been great

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: Closing!

5:19	Jeff Sullivan: Dave will be here for the second game. In the meantime, you can fill the queue to your heart’s content I suppose, but there will not be a moderator!

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: Get up, stretch your legs! You have 40 minutes.

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: Thanks for hanging out, everybody! Go baseball!

5:20	Comment From mb i love u jef

5:20	Jeff Sullivan: love u mb!

6:05	Dave Cameron: Well, Jeff’s game was fun, so let’s hope for more of the same here.

6:07	Comment From Alex Hi Dave!

6:07	Dave Cameron: Hey Alex.

6:08	Comment From Guest I hope Matt Williams was listening to you. All these starting pitchers don’t mean squat if you don’t use them. Zimmerman could be argued about being the better pitcher this year so no shame putting him in in game 5. Roark or Stras gotta be in this game.

6:08	Dave Cameron: Both teams should make, at minimum, three pitching changes. Any fewer is a failure.

6:09	Comment From Alex L That’s “Zimmermann.” Two Ns. 🙂

6:09	Comment From Catoblepas Tom Tango suggested starting Strasburg for two innings, since Gonzalez could then get the platoon for innings 3-7. Does it make much of a difference? They could just put out a Gio Gonzalez lineup, knowing Strasburg won’t last long. Any advantages to waiting for Strasburg?

6:10	Dave Cameron: The problem is that if you do that, and then your offense blows it open, you use Strasburg in a game where you didn’t need him.

6:10	Comment From Jose Questionable call

6:10	Dave Cameron: Classic lefty strike.

6:10	Dave Cameron: Wendelstedt has a big zone too.

6:11	Comment From Ryan Basically, any time the pitcher is due at bat, he should be lifted for a pinch hitter, right?

6:11	Dave Cameron: I’d let the starters hit once.

6:11	Dave Cameron: If they’re pitching well and their counts are low, anyway.

6:11	Comment From Ruki How many runs up would you have to be to not put in Stras? (Or Zimmer I guess)

6:11	Dave Cameron: If they have a four run lead, I wouldn’t use him.

6:11	Comment From Mike How big of a lead would you be comfortable with, in terms of letting the SP ride it out? 8-0 lead?

6:12	Dave Cameron: Don’t need to ride Gio if they have a lead. Barrett/Thornton/Stammen could give you a few innings without blowing a four run lead.

6:12	Comment From Skore I’ve never seen vogelsong throw this hard

6:12	Comment From Phil Fast Gun or did Vogey add a few MPH when no one was looking?

6:14	Comment From Fire God that pitch was low….

6:14	Dave Cameron: Welcome to 2014, where the strike zone extends to the toes.

6:15	Comment From Phil Same zone from the 1st game today. Larger zone helps Vogelsong more than Gio, yeah?

6:15	Dave Cameron: Not sure. Gio has the bigger command problem.

6:15	Comment From Mike Should Harper be batting higher in the lineup?

6:15	Dave Cameron: Yes.

6:17	Comment From Dunx Huge strikezone and Vogey still looks wild. Yikes.

6:19	Comment From Pale Hose Eno Sarris had a baby today and still put up an Instagraphs post.

6:19	Dave Cameron: He wrote it last night.

6:20	Comment From mmarsden Honest question, what part of you thought the guy who benched Puig would use him in a more important spot in the game?

6:20	Dave Cameron: Because pretty much every other manager in the game would have?

6:22	Comment From hscer Has anyone proffered even an excuse that is superficially not utterly terrible as to why Mattingly would have benched Puig

6:22	Dave Cameron: I could have bought that Puig was hurt until he pinch-ran.

6:23	Dave Cameron: Four lefties and a switch-hitter who sucks against lefties. The Giants maybe should have built a better bench.

6:24	Comment From Phil This Giants team have the worst bench in playoff history?

6:24	Dave Cameron: The Tigers say hi.

6:24	Comment From Guest Easy, he was completely lost at the plate and had ample AB’s to snap himself out of it. Instead, he continued going up to the plate with the same approach each time and ended up becoming as much of a guaranteed out as an NL pitcher

6:24	Dave Cameron: I’ll take “what is the definition of recency bias for $200, Alex.”

6:26	Comment From Guest Do you have the luxury of looking back to the regular season to judge ‘in the moment’ execution, especially in the playoffs?

6:26	Dave Cameron: Yes. If you’re managing by what you’ve seen the last few days or even past few weeks, you’re doing it wrong.

6:29	Comment From Steven I thought you invited me to watch the Nationals game with you.

6:29	Dave Cameron: There hasn’t been a ton to say about it yet.

6:29	Dave Cameron: The pitchers have pitched, and outs have been made.

6:30	Comment From Alex Say something about the shadows! Jeff was more fun

6:30	Dave Cameron: Jeff is, in general, more fun.

6:31	Dave Cameron: He’s a fun guy.

6:31	Comment From Guest Jeff Sullivan thinks it was a not bad decision to bench Puig. Do you think Sullivan is nuts?

6:31	Dave Cameron: I didn’t think it was a big deal when I assumed that he’d PH in the 5th or 6th inning and stay in for defensive purposes. Just benching him for the whole game was silly.

6:33	Dave Cameron: Got under that one.

6:33	Dave Cameron: But man, is he strong.

6:34	Comment From Catoblepas Routine reminder: he is 21 for ten more days

6:34	Comment From Guest Since we are talking about both of them…..who do you like to have a better career, Harper or Puig?

6:34	Dave Cameron: Harper.

6:36	Comment From Guest Where does LaRoche play next year? Milwaukee?

6:36	Dave Cameron: Seems like a good fit. Or maybe Seattle.

6:37	Comment From Matt Pirates?

6:37	Dave Cameron: I doubt they’ll spend that kind of money on anyone but Martin, and I don’t think they’ll be able to afford him either.

6:38	Dave Cameron: Well that was an interesting infield fly.

6:38	Comment From Joe why cant the pitcher ever catch one

6:39	Dave Cameron: I always thought that was silly.

6:39	Comment From Owen How would you choose to construct the Nats lineup? What about if they make it to the WS and can DH Zim?

6:40	Dave Cameron: Span-Rendon-LaRoche-Werth-Harper-Desmond-Ramos-Cabrera-Pitcher. With DH, probably put Zim at 3 and LaRoche at 6, then everyone moves down.

6:40	Comment From hscer Why do managers seem to prefer pitch count to batters faced when deciding when to lift a pitcher?

6:40	Dave Cameron: The times-through-the-order penalty is not well understood at this point.

6:41	Dave Cameron: X-factor is announcer code for “sucks”.

6:41	Comment From Guest Why flip Werth and Laroche?

6:42	Dave Cameron: Werth is a better hitter, and you want your better hitter at #4 instead of #3.

6:42	Dave Cameron: Well there goes Gio’s UZR for this game.

6:42	Comment From $hmurda this series sure hasn’t been a showcase of pitchers fielding well

6:43	Dave Cameron: Yeah, that shouldn’t happen

6:43	Dave Cameron: You know he’s bunting.

6:44	Dave Cameron: Rendon should have been standing right there.

6:44	Dave Cameron: Rendon was too far back and hesitated. Bad play by him.

6:45	Comment From Guest You don’t think that was on Gio for practically running him over?

6:45	Dave Cameron: He had to try because Rendon was out of position.

6:45	Dave Cameron: And this is the Gio the Nats didn’t want to see.

6:46	Comment From Mike A bloop, an error, a misplayed bunt, and a walk. Gotta love Giants postseason baseball

6:46	Comment From Compton That was less of a conference and more of a lecture.

6:47	Dave Cameron: I like Roark, but you want a K pitcher warming up here.

6:48	Dave Cameron: You don’t need a long guy. You need a guy to end this.

6:48	Comment From Mike Add a weakly hit ground ball to the “Giants postseason baseball” story

6:49	Comment From Guest 2 runs not bad for Nats all things considered with what went down in that inning

6:49	Dave Cameron: Also kind of amazing for the Giants given that they didn’t hit the ball hard at all.

6:49	Comment From Shrewd Cat Do you pinch hit for Gio here and then just pitch Roark?

6:50	Dave Cameron: Probably not.

6:50	Comment From BDF Would you have removed Gonzalez at some point in that inning? How much does that inning affect your future decision (disregarding score, to the extent that’s possible) to remove him?

6:50	Dave Cameron: I don’t think there was a scenario there that screamed for a change. The bases loaded walk was bad, but he’s pitching okay still.

6:52	Comment From David Hey Dave, what’s with the sponsorship with Sportsnet? Pretty cool, would love to know how it happened.

6:52	Dave Cameron: Ben Nicholson-Smith and I have been friendly for a while, and he reached out to us, so we did a partnership with them.

6:54	Dave Cameron: This Gio-Vogelsong career comparison thing is super weird, Vasgersian.

6:54	Dave Cameron: “Vogelsong was drafted in the fifth round, and Gio… was a first round pick.”

6:55	Dave Cameron: Basically, he just spent two minutes to tell us both guys have been traded a lot.

6:56	Comment From Compton Is the playing field below the sea(bay) level or is that an illusion?

6:56	Dave Cameron: I think it’s a few feet above.

6:57	Dave Cameron: Not a strong start for the Nats.

6:57	Comment From Phil It is 15 feet or so depending on the tide. The field is level with the concrete walkway next to the cove.

7:00	Comment From Ryan So who is the biggest star left in the post-season? No Kershaw, Trout, Cabrera, Lester, Price, etc…

7:00	Dave Cameron: Posey.

7:01	Dave Cameron: Yes

7:02	Comment From Phil Posey is a bigger star than Harper? Better player sure but ESPN has made Harper the bigger star.

7:02	Dave Cameron: Posey won an MVP award. People know who he is.

7:04	Dave Cameron: Posey

7:06	Comment From hscer We’re going to have a 6th AL team in the last 7 years in the World Series. We are 6 innings from it being 3 NL teams in that same span. Any thoughts?

7:06	Dave Cameron: Maybe I’m being dense, but I’m pretty sure we have an AL team and an NL team in the World Series every year.

7:07	Comment From joe I think he’s referring to different teams.

7:07	Dave Cameron: Oh. That would make more sense.

7:07	Comment From hscer Yeah. Phillies, Cardinals, Giants vs. Rays, Yankees, Rangers, Tigers, Red Sox, Royals/Orioles.

7:07	Dave Cameron: Ehh. Not sure it matters that much.

7:08	Dave Cameron: Fans booing because a pitch six inches outside is called a ball.

7:09	Dave Cameron: Two strikes, you’re getting a high fastball.

7:09	Comment From Cole W If the Nationals have a 1 run lead in the 9th do you believe we will see Storen

7:09	Dave Cameron: Yes.

7:10	Comment From Jaack What time would this chat end in the event of another marathon game?

7:10	Dave Cameron: I’m ending this at 1 am, whether the game is over or not.

7:11	Dave Cameron: That was a ridiculous strike call.

7:12	Comment From Ryan See Dave, you laugh at the fans, but they’re getting to the ump! (Tongue in cheek)

7:12	Comment From Guest Nor sure if the stats back it up, but Posey sure looks like a great framer

7:12	Dave Cameron: Metrics loved him this year.

7:13	Comment From ncb can’t frame a pitch that far inside.

7:13	Dave Cameron: Well, you can, but a good ump doesn’t get fooled on that.

7:14	Comment From Alex Hell of a jump on that ball and track down by Perez, made it look easier than it was. Not sure if Ishikawa makes that play

7:14	Dave Cameron: Agree.

7:14	Comment From Norman So if the Nats lose here, and we end up without the Dodgers, Nats, As or Tigers going forward, do you think it’s a sign that people tend to overvalue the importance of the starting rotation in the playoffs?

7:14	Dave Cameron: That is true regardless of what happens in this game.

7:16	Comment From Norman I suppose my question was more related to whether a series of salient early exits from good rotations might lead people to, say, reevaluated their trade deadline needs.

7:16	Dave Cameron: I do think we’ll see more emphasis on bullpen depth this winter.

7:16	Dave Cameron: Detroit and LAD are going to go nuts bidding for Andrew Miller.

7:17	Comment From hscer How nuts? 4/60?

7:17	Dave Cameron: Won’t be that high. I’d guess 5/40 or something.

7:18	Comment From Josh Is there literally anybody watching this game who actually wants to listen to these player interviews?

7:18	Dave Cameron: The player’s families, maybe.

7:19	Comment From hscer Just record one of these for each team in spring training and recycle it throughout the year. I wouldn’t notice.

7:19	Comment From Guest Nats 3-4-5 hitters in the NLDS: 4 for 46 (.087).

7:19	Comment From Ryan MLBTR Transaction Tracker lists Carlos Zambrano as the only 5-year deal for a reliever (signing or extension). Really think Miller will get 5?

7:19	Dave Cameron: Well that’s wrong. Zambrano was a starter, and BJ Ryan got a five year deal.

7:20	Comment From Matt That Miller contract would be absolutely bananas

7:20	Dave Cameron: He’s worth $8M per year. Teams are inflating contracts by giving more years now instead of driving up annual salary.

7:22	Comment From Yoopka Whats your opinion on multi year deals for relievers? I’ve seen a lot of people say it’s not worth it

7:22	Dave Cameron: Blanket rules like that are dumb. You’d definitely give a great reliever a 10 year deal if it was for $1 million a year.

7:22	Dave Cameron: Salary and length go together, and have to be evaluated together.

7:23	Comment From Matt Obviously knew it was coming, but is the increase in QO meaningful? Are there players that would get offered at 14.1 and not 15.3?

7:23	Dave Cameron: Probably not.

7:23	Comment From section 122 will MLB have a salary cap (hard) in the next 10 yrs?

7:23	Dave Cameron: Nope.

7:23	Comment From Guest If guys get on base, do you PH for Gio?

7:23	Dave Cameron: Yep.

7:24	Comment From Alex If you’re the Royals, you HAVE to pick up Wade Davis’s 7 mil option for next year, right?

7:24	Dave Cameron: Yeah, easy call.

7:24	Dave Cameron: If Cabrera singles, you can stick with Gio and have him bunt. If he doubles, I’d definitely PH.

7:25	Dave Cameron: And I obviously had the wrong part of the line-up, so ignore the comment above.

7:26	Comment From Mike Send Desmond here?

7:26	Dave Cameron: No.

7:26	Dave Cameron: That was a strike earlier in the game.

7:26	Dave Cameron: Surprised he didn’t get that one.

7:27	Comment From Alex Great swing by Harper just hitting it where it’s pitched

7:27	Comment From Catoblepas Bryce Harper would be entering his senior year of college

7:27	Comment From ncb how many years till williams bats harper not 6th?

7:27	Dave Cameron: Next year.

7:28	Comment From Alex I’m a sophomore in college…what am I doing with my life?

7:28	Comment From Skore @Alex, not being a world-class athlete

7:28	Comment From hscer RBI single for Cabrera, bunt with Gio or PH?

7:28	Dave Cameron: PH.

7:29	Comment From Guest I’m a junior in college playing D2 ball. With how tough I think the pitching is here? Can’t even imagine. He’s a freak. They’re all freaks honestly

7:29	Comment From Catoblepas PH up in the on-deck circle

7:29	Dave Cameron: Good job Matt!

7:30	Comment From Boston Phan I guess no Strasburg tonight.

7:30	Dave Cameron: Could be saving him for later.

7:30	Comment From Mike Would you have had Ramos bunt Harper to 3rd?

7:30	Dave Cameron: No.

7:30	Comment From Alex Really? Commentators just blushing over the bunt

7:30	Dave Cameron: Announcers are generally not good strategists.

7:30	Comment From David With Stras and Roark and the entire regular bullpen available … WAS should be PH-ing every 9spot left in the game

7:30	Dave Cameron: Correct.

7:31	Comment From Cole W How many do you see Roark going?

7:31	Dave Cameron: Probably no more than 2.

7:31	Comment From Ben Would you use Zimmerman instead of Schierholtz here?

7:31	Dave Cameron: You know you’re going to be PHing at least once more. Okay to save him.

7:32	Comment From Alex IF the Nats come back and Strasburg isn’t used in the game, do they go to Zim or stick with Strasburg. I’d go with Zim

7:32	Dave Cameron: They’re starting Zimmermann.

7:32	Comment From Alex Did they announce that?

7:32	Dave Cameron: Not officially, but he threw a bullpen today and Stras didn’t.

7:33	Comment From Giants fan in Kansas City Announcers are pretty good at being results-oriented. How much you want to bet he wouldn’t have said anything if Ramos had singled to center?

7:33	Dave Cameron: Yep, 100% this.

7:34	Comment From Matt Pretty nice at-bat by Schierholtz

7:34	Comment From hscer Has SF been warming a lefty? If not, why not?

7:34	Dave Cameron: Probably too early for Bochy.

7:34	Comment From Alex Fangraphs needs to fund some broadcasts and throw competent announcers in the booth

7:35	Dave Cameron: Saturday night, Fox Sports 1 is having Kapler/Nitkowski/Neyer do analysis.

7:35	Dave Cameron: Tune in to that!

7:35	Comment From Cole W Do you like starting Harper in left and Span and center over Zim in left and Harper in center?

7:35	Dave Cameron: Yes, easily.

7:37	Comment From Cole W Do you see the Nationals trading Zimmerman in the off season to an AL team?

7:37	Dave Cameron: No, he’ll move to 1B.

7:38	Dave Cameron: Vogelsong gets Span entirely with curveballs.

7:38	Dave Cameron: That might end up being a big missed opportunity for the Nationals. But no, they still shouldn’t have bunted with Ramos.

7:38	Comment From Krusty Has there been a drama free game so far this post season?

7:39	Dave Cameron: Game 3 of the Royals-Angels series.

7:39	Comment From Alex And the NL wild card game

7:39	Comment From Alex So Vogelsong’s velocity is way down from the early innings, and his control is falling apart. Is this normal or is he injured?

7:40	Dave Cameron: His early velo was probably just adrenaline, which wore off.

7:40	Comment From Erin Any ideas on what the Dodgers do this off-season? I suppose a starter is in order, but what do they do with the OF?

7:40	Dave Cameron: Dump Ethier while picking up most of the contract, spend wildly on relievers.

7:41	Comment From Brad and there’s no reason he should be out there any longer, 3rd time facing lineup and all that…

7:41	Dave Cameron: He’s done.

7:41	Dave Cameron: I’d be shocked if Bochy sent him back out there.

7:42	Comment From Alex Isn’t that what they did last year?

7:42	Dave Cameron: They’ll pick better guys this time around.

7:42	Dave Cameron: Gregor Blanco, still underrated.

7:43	Comment From Phil Remaining managers ranked by quality: Buck > Bochy > Matheny > Williams > Yost?

7:43	Dave Cameron: Looks about right.

7:44	Dave Cameron: I might take Williams over Matheny.

7:45	Comment From Guest When do you think the first really analytically minded Manager will get hired?

7:45	Dave Cameron: Joe Maddon says hi.

7:45	Dave Cameron: This should have been Stras.

7:47	Dave Cameron: Nice breaking ball there.

7:49	Dave Cameron: Well

7:49	Dave Cameron: The Nats defense gets an F so far.

7:50	Comment From Roger I’d turn Pablo around here

7:50	Dave Cameron: Yep.

7:50	Comment From Alex Why would they not go to Blevins?

7:50	Dave Cameron: I don’t know.

7:51	Dave Cameron: Roark gets an infield fly.

7:51	Dave Cameron: Pretty big there.

7:51	Dave Cameron: And now we get Blevins?

7:51	Dave Cameron: If you’re bringing in Blevins, why not last batter?

7:52	Comment From Ben All I can figure is that Blevins wasn’t quite ready for Panda … but can’t they just stall for a few pitches?

7:52	Dave Cameron: They said the bullpen signaled that he was ready.

7:53	Comment From ncb blevins has terrible numbers against righties. I know the splits aren’t that predictive yet, but his is HUGE.

7:53	Dave Cameron: That is worth noting.

7:54	Comment From matt that changeup had a lot of plate

7:54	Dave Cameron: Yeah, that was a terrible pitch.

7:54	Dave Cameron: elevated change-up on inner half.

7:54	Dave Cameron: Could have been crushed.

7:54	Comment From hscer Blevins’ bad platoon split is new this year, though, I think

7:55	Comment From ncb hscer is right, just looked up the career and he is not nearly as bad.

7:55	Comment From Guest Not sure that I agree. 2-0 bases loaded? Sitting dead red fastball and it looked like a fastball. Change of speeds worked

7:55	Dave Cameron: Location was atrocious.

7:56	Comment From Matt man, pure filth from Blevins

7:56	Comment From NatsFan WHEW

7:56	Comment From Guest That was huge

7:57	Comment From Guest Vogelsong back out. Huh.

7:57	Dave Cameron: Well that’s a poor choice.

7:57	Comment From Guest So Stras in the next inning if Nats don’t do much here or do they want until 9th spot clears again?

7:57	Dave Cameron: I think they’ll stick with Blevins against the LHB.

8:00

Comment From Matt T.
I asked Jeff this and wanted to hear what you thought. Would you consider a Betta for Zimmermann trade? You would have to probably assume the Red Soz could extend Zimmermann, but he seems to be an “ace” without the “flashy ace” price tag. And we DO have a tendency to overvalue prospects.

8:00	Dave Cameron: No chance.

8:00	Dave Cameron: Betts is worth far more than a one year guy.

8:00	Dave Cameron: Holy crap.

8:01	Comment From ncb matthew mcconaughey with quite a catch

8:01	Comment From Andrew Phillies RF on Phillies RF crime.

8:01	Comment From Mike Y. Hunter Pence, summed up in one play

8:01	Dave Cameron: Vogelsong gives up a couple of line drives and Bochy gets him out of there.

8:02	Comment From Guest You have to PH Zimmerman here don’t you? Or do you live with ALR making an out with 2 out and save Zim?

8:02	Dave Cameron: You save him to PH for the pitcher.

8:03	Comment From Compton pitcher’s spot up for Giants, so this will be a one out guy. Who do you go with?

8:03	Dave Cameron: Lopez.

8:05	Comment From hscer Lopez is like facing Randy Johnson with Mark Buehrle’s stuff.

8:06	Dave Cameron: Nationals running out of chances.

8:07	Comment From ncb Was that really the right leverage to use one of your loogys?

8:07	Dave Cameron: Not going to get a better match-up than against LaRoche.

8:07	Dave Cameron: No one warming in WAS pen.

8:07	Dave Cameron: So it’s Blevins through the lefties.

8:08	Dave Cameron: Which, okay, maybe, but you at least have to have someone up.

8:08	Comment From A Pumpkin So, if the Giants hold on, that would mean that the underdogs won every divisional series, right?

8:08	Dave Cameron: Yep.

8:08	Comment From Aaron (UK) Lopez owns LaRoche, can’t help thinking that matchup in the 8th/9th is better for SF

8:08	Dave Cameron: Bochy won’t play match-ups in the 9th.

8:09	Dave Cameron: Brandon Crawford swings at a pitch that might have hit him if he leaned in.

8:10	Comment From Guest awkward long underhand

8:10	Comment From Chris How about Betts for Zimmermann if Zimmermann signs an extension?

8:11	Dave Cameron: Nope. You’re not getting Betts for Zimmermann.

8:11	Comment From Jon As a resident of San Francisco, I appreciate learning from Matt Vaspersian that many musicians have been popular here.

8:11	Comment From matt “They sell a lot of jerseys with names on the back here. Not something every postseason city can claim.” What?

8:12	Dave Cameron: I don’t even know.

8:12	Comment From Guest The Yankees don’t sell any…

8:12	Comment From Guest Bochy should PH MadBum here

8:13	Dave Cameron: It’s Matt Duffy instead.

8:13	Comment From Guest Will we see Strasburg tonight? It almost doesn’t seem like we will.

8:13	Dave Cameron: Yeah, I’m guessing not.

8:13	Dave Cameron: Nifty play by Desmond.

8:13	Comment From Alex Strickland coming in, get ready to see some gas

8:14	Comment From Guest As a Giants fan, should I be excited about Hunter Strickland?

8:14	Dave Cameron: Yep.

8:14	Comment From Roger Would you leave Lopez in for the righty then Harper?

8:14	Dave Cameron: No. Lopez vs Desmond is a bad match-up in a one run game.

8:14	Comment From Matt Lopez was PH for already

8:15	Comment From hscer Was Stras the plan just if the 1st inning went to hell? Like maybe he prepared as if he was starting and the 2nd inning was too late? I dunno, I’m reaching.

8:15	Dave Cameron: Maybe we’ll see him if it goes extras, but seems like Williams decided against using him.

8:16	Comment From Guest Red Sox sign Panda this offseason? Or Headley (preferably)

8:16	Dave Cameron: I’d guess Headley.

8:16

Comment From Dave
All serious, I’ve never understood the emphasis placed on prospects ranked highly on sites such as this and baseball america, and how they actually effect front office decisions. Last year, Profar was the piece to build a Stanton or Price deal around, and less than a calendar year later, if that deal was proposed now, it’d be laughed out of the building.

8:17	Dave Cameron: And last year, you’d have asked for the moon for Justin Verlander, and now you couldn’t give him away for nothing. Hooray for n of 1

8:18	Dave Cameron: Here comes power versus power.

8:19	Comment From Frank What else does Strickland throw?

8:19	Dave Cameron: Gas.

8:19	Comment From Keeper a non-intentional, intentional walk?

8:19	Dave Cameron: Wouldn’t be surprising, but you don’t want to put tying run on.

8:21	Comment From Guest Bryce Harper has showed up.

8:21	Comment From Dave hoooooooooooly crap

8:21	Comment From Catoblepas BRYCE HARPER IS A JUNIOR IN COLLEGE

8:21	Comment From John TO THE MOON

8:21	Comment From Ben BOOM!

8:21	Dave Cameron: Bryce Harper rules.

8:22	Comment From Jon What else does Strickland throw? Home runs.

8:23	Comment From Jaack This game is totally going 18 innings now.

8:23	Comment From Tripp A- dive from canoe

8:23	Comment From Izzy Q: How do you uppercut a high 90s fastball for a home run?

8:23	Comment From Mike Should they get Strasburg up now?

8:23	Dave Cameron: Yes.

8:24	Comment From matt Storen for the top in the 7th, Stras 8/9?

8:24	Dave Cameron: Stras/Clippard/Storen for next ~5.

8:25	Dave Cameron: In some order.

8:25	Comment From hscer Harper is slugging .882 this series.

8:25	Comment From NatsFan Zim’s on deck right? Tell me Zimmerman is on deck?

8:25	Dave Cameron: Zim is on deck.

8:26	Comment From ncb surprised they didn’t go to a lefty for harper

8:26	Dave Cameron: That will be a big discussion point tomorrow if they lose.

8:26	Dave Cameron: Asdrubal stares at a pitch down the middle. Weird.

8:26	Dave Cameron: Okay, never mind, good change up on the corner.

8:27	Comment From Compton The narrative may end up being that Harper is a big game player, but isn’t it more just that Harper is really good?

8:27	Dave Cameron: Yes.

8:27	Comment From Rated Rookie Assuming health, do you think Harper could hit 40 in a season? 50 out of the question?

8:27	Dave Cameron: I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes 60.

8:27	Comment From John This game will end on a Zimmerman throwing error, yes?

8:27	Dave Cameron: He won’t play the field.

8:28	Comment From RunTeddyRun Only pitchers make errors in this series.

8:28	Comment From Guest PHing against a guy like Strickland has to be tough. Well hitting at all, but especially PHing

8:29	Dave Cameron: Steve Gilbert’s Beach Blanket Babylon is a thing?

8:29	Dave Cameron: For the record, Liberty does not like this lady’s voice.

8:29	Comment From John Wait I thought it was “ripe with gold?”

8:31	Comment From Rated Rookie Maybe Liberty just doesn’t like that song. She’s not alone.

8:32	Comment From ncb Lefty for blanco/panik?

8:32	Dave Cameron: Yeah, probably Thornton.

8:32	Comment From Ben Nats only LHP left is Thornton. Gotta save him for a big bat don’t you?

8:33	Dave Cameron: Giants big bats are RH.

8:33	Comment From Josh Did he just call Harper a rookie?

8:33	Comment From hscer there’s the Rendon bunt D we know and love, finally

8:33	Comment From yasiel pablo

8:33	Dave Cameron: Switch-hitter, and Thornton’s a LOOGY.

8:34	Comment From ncb How is a righty not warm?

8:34	Dave Cameron: Yeah, this is nuts.

8:34	Dave Cameron: You have to have guys warming before a rally starts.

8:34	Comment From Guest …and how is that righty Stammen??

8:35	Dave Cameron: This is awful.

8:35	Comment From Guest This is Yostian

8:35	Dave Cameron: You just can’t do this.

8:36	Dave Cameron: Not in an elimination game.

8:36	Comment From Guest It’s Barrett, not Stammen

8:36	Dave Cameron: I like Barrett, but this should be Clippard.

8:36	Dave Cameron: This is the game, probably.

8:38	Comment From Alex I don’t see any reasonable explanation for why Clippard shouldn’t be in this game right now

8:38	Dave Cameron: There isn’t one.

8:38	Comment From Deelron I never knew it was so important to rest your pitchers for next year’s spring training.

8:39	Comment From Guest This is the first thing this postseason that I’ve really disagreed with somethng Williams has done this postseason. This is asinine

8:39	Comment From Keeper Clippard is hit or miss. But a rookie here. eesh.

8:39	Dave Cameron: I don’t care about rookie or not. Go with your best guy.

8:40	Comment From Jon It’s not just this batter though. It’s letting Thornton pitch to Posey too.

8:40	Dave Cameron: That was worse.

8:40	Comment From Guest barrett looks like he’s in the process of crapping himself

8:40	Dave Cameron: Yep.

8:42	Comment From Guest Barrett never threw 1 slider, which is his best pitch

8:42	Comment From Bryan How is there no one else up in the bullpen?

8:42	Dave Cameron: This is crazy.

8:42	Comment From Jaack Matt Williams is just pissing on everything right now.

8:43	Comment From Guest The only explanation is Williams has money riding on the Giants.

8:43	Comment From Guest wow this is painful to watch

8:44	Comment From B Please write about this tomorrow

8:44	Dave Cameron: Deal.

8:44	Comment From Krusty No one could have predicted that.

8:44	Comment From young michael oh my god.

8:44	Comment From Matt what

8:45	Dave Cameron: He just shouldn’t be on the mound here.

8:45	Comment From Mike Giants postseason baseball. Don’t win the game, just let the other team lose it

8:45	Comment From Izzy Is this a fireable offense?

8:45	Dave Cameron: I wouldn’t trust him to win a postseason for me after this.

8:45	Comment From Skore What???

8:45	Comment From B Well that was something

8:45	Comment From Tripp The ol’ wild pitch throw out…on purpose

8:46	Comment From Brian Just how they drew it up

8:46	Comment From Alex WTF WAS THAT

8:46	Comment From Tripp That’s blocking the plate, right?

8:46	Comment From Anonymous Posey has gotten thrown out trying to take an extra 90 feet three times in the last three games.

8:47	Comment From Aaron (UK) Not blocking the plate, in the act of catching it, surely?

8:47	Dave Cameron: I don’t think the rule talks about this

8:47	Dave Cameron: You can’t tell a pitcher that he can’t get to the plate while running forward.

8:48	Comment From B Is someone warming now? He can’t even throw an IBB pitch he’s so nervous

8:48	Dave Cameron: You cannot let him throw another pitch.

8:48	Comment From Matt Soriano is warming. Incredible.

8:48	Dave Cameron: Absurd.

8:49	Comment From Guest Ryan Zimmerman or someone should relieve Williams of his command

8:49	Comment From MentalGuy He didn’t really block it until he had the ball anyway. He did have his foot on it, but wasn’t t blocking it.

8:49	Comment From Guest earlier you said you’d take Williams over Matheny. Mind changed?

8:49	Dave Cameron: Yes.

8:51	Comment From Eric G Its not that complicated, late innings of an elimination game, a lefty and righty should be loosining at all times. Everyone says “Empty the bullpen”, put it into practice!

8:51	Comment From chuckb Nats are so lucky to still be this close

8:52	Comment From Craig Washington doesn’t have another lefty, do they?

8:52	Dave Cameron: No, but they have righties who don’t suck against lefties.

8:53	Comment From Guest That might’ve been the worst inning to ever result in only conceding one run. Good job, Nats.

8:54	Comment From Skore How can Williams rationalize any of this

8:54	Dave Cameron: There isn’t any rational for this.

8:55	Comment From That Guy Is there an equivalent boneheaded manager decision in other sports to putting in a green rookie reliever in the highest leverage inning of the game and then putting in your 4th or 5th best reliever at best when it inevitably goes wrong?

8:55	Dave Cameron: Running a play to get a game winning three pointer with your backup center?

8:55	Comment From Guest punting from the opponents 30

8:56	Comment From Keeper pulling your goalie in the 2nd period?

8:57	Comment From semperty How many people need to get on for B-Harps to have another shot?

8:57	Dave Cameron: None. He’s due up last.

8:57	Comment From Jaack Using your driver to putt.

8:58	Comment From erik playing the net, but only playing one side of the net, and also with no racquet, and also sitting down

8:58	Comment From Phil No way Romo pitches to Harper, right?

8:59	Dave Cameron: Yeah, that’s Affeldt/Casilla.

8:59	Dave Cameron: He’s leaving Soriano in.

8:59	Dave Cameron: Seriously.

9:01	Comment From Alex GOTTA SAVE CLIPPARD FOR THE LEAD DAVE

9:01	Dave Cameron: This is insanity.

9:02	Comment From B So no valid rationale… But what will he SAY? What’s going through his brain?

9:02	Dave Cameron: It’s going to be something about roles.

9:03	Comment From Guest Dear Nationals…. I am rooting for you, but what the hell are are doing?

9:03	Comment From Guest Roles don’t explain why no Clippard now. This is HIS inning.

9:03	Dave Cameron: No, his “role” is to protect a lead, or something.

9:04	Comment From Alex HEY!! Predictable

9:05	Comment From Fletch Why don’t front office people have any say in tactical decisions? It seems absurd that they go to such pains to construct a roster to just have it managed so sub-optimally.

9:05	Dave Cameron: This won’t last. The days of people who don’t know what they’re doing getting to make these calls by themselves will end.

9:06	Comment From Shrewd Cat Is anyone even warming up?

9:06	Dave Cameron: Nope.

9:07	Comment From Alex 3-0 green light for…Ishikawa?

9:07	Comment From Alex K. Why on Earth did he swing?

9:07	Comment From chuckb This is a bad match up for Soriano

9:07	Dave Cameron: They all have been.

9:09	Comment From Nats fan Clippard by appearances: 50 ahead, 17 tied, 8 behind. Williams has been this dumb all year.

9:09	Comment From Matt Williams He didn’t give up any runs–see, I AM smart!!!

9:09	Comment From Cob Assuming Casilla gets the first two easily, do you leave him in or bring in Affeldt to face Harper?

9:09	Dave Cameron: I’d go Affeldt for the whole inning.

9:09	Dave Cameron: But then again, I don’t care about closers.

9:10	Comment From Cob You think Affeldt is a better pitcher than Casilla or just a good matchup for the 3 expected hitters?

9:10	Dave Cameron: Two lefties coming up.

9:10	Dave Cameron: Both can hit it out.

9:11	Comment From A. Lane This is platoon splits, identifying who is a good pitcher, and the realization that this game is important, none of this required some advanced statistical knowledge.

9:11	Dave Cameron: Yeah. This isn’t saber vs scouts. This is basic logic.

9:12	Comment From Guest Isn’t such a reliever plan discounting what the mmanager than knows more about the players thinks?

9:12	Dave Cameron: Clippard could be suffering from Ebola and he’d still have been the right choice.

9:12	Comment From Skore 2 outs, nobody on, do you walk harper?

9:12	Dave Cameron: No.

9:13	Comment From Joe drew ænd clip are warming now

9:14	Dave Cameron: Oh good.

9:14	Comment From Hank Affeldt and Casilla have basically the same FIP against lefties over the last 3 years… why do people keep saying Affeldt for the lefties as if it’s a no brainer?

9:14	Dave Cameron: Because the hitter’s splits matter too.

9:16	Dave Cameron: You have to at least ask for help.

9:16	Comment From Guest What an absolutely horrible call. At least check that. Come on

9:16	Comment From InDC gah, how does he not ask for help from the 1B ump?

9:17	Comment From Slurpincoxdown That should be banned immediately, can’t ring him up yourself if he holds at all

9:17	Dave Cameron: Or just can’t ring him up at all ever.

9:19	Comment From hscer Even if the season ends on this Harper PA, it’s been a good PA.

9:19	Comment From chuckb I wouldn’t throw a fastball here

9:20	Comment From Brian Most excitement foul ball ever

9:21	Dave Cameron: Great job, Bryce.

9:21	Dave Cameron: And now steal second.

9:21	Comment From Anonymous Dave Cameron: Nats Fan?

9:21	Dave Cameron: I’m rooting for a Game 5.

9:22	Comment From Jon Why do you not want to make the last out attempting to steal, other than that you don’t want to make the last out?

9:22	Dave Cameron: Yeah…

9:24	Comment From NatsFan sigh

9:24	Dave Cameron: Congrats to the Giants.

9:24	Dave Cameron: You won in a very weird way.

9:24	Comment From Billy hell yeah

9:25	Dave Cameron: Thanks for hanging out, everyone. Now I’m going to go destroy Matt Williams for my piece tomorrow.

BAL	CHW	ATH
BOS	CLE	HOU
NYY	DET	LAA
TBR	KCR	SEA
TOR	MIN	TEX

ATL	CHC	ARI
MIA	CIN	COL
NYM	MIL	LAD
PHI	PIT	SDP
WSN	STL	SFG