I freaking love deGrom, Did anyone else feel he was being squeezed a lot more than Kershaw was especially in the early innings? I think probably every Mets fan on the planet was pumping their fists when Mattingly took Kershaw out, I know I was and was a hell of a lot more confident with Wright up there afterward. Wright has some quality AB's You just gotta love Murph, for all his mental blunders the guy can just flat out hit, actually made a couple of big plays playing first too. Cuddyear was awful in LF, will be nice to not only get Confort0's bat in the lineup, but sure up the OF defense. The game definitely lived up to the hype and both pitchers did not disappoint.
Living in LA I was watching the game with Dodgers fans, and they were as livid at taking out Kershaw as I was ecstatic. That was Mattingly managing out of fear.
Mattingly made the right move by taking out Kershaw, the walk to load the bases against a lefty showed he was gassed, and David did come through, but the game was still close enough for the Dodgers to have a chance. Kudos to the Mets, it's only one game but it feels good to see them be successful.
I don' think you can say it was the right move. You can say you understand the rationale behind it and that is was not a terrible decision, but the results (hindsight) say that it didn't work. Was he tired yes, but I give Curtis more of the credit on the last walk. It was more of a quality at bat and not giving him too much to hit with first base open, remember Curtis has 2 hits, and hit the ball hard twice already off him. I am of the school that you let the team beat your best, the guy is a freaking 3 time Cy Young award winner in the 7th. You can argue for either way, but as a Mets fan I was delighted (before the hit), and I were a Dodger fan I would have been pissed.
The way I can tell if a manager made the right move or the wrong move is when-as an opposing fan--if I'm happy with the move as its getting made--it was the wrong move. I was ecstatic that he took Kershaw out so in mind it was the wrong move (and not because of the result). _
Yeah you gotta stick with your ace in that spot. But the results do tell the story. If Donny stuck with Kershaw there and Wright had the same type of single that he hit off Baez, everyone would be saying he should've taken him out. Its damned if you do damned if you dont. Kershaw did look gassed though. For all the bitching fans do about pitch counts, the reality is not many guys are able to give much more than 100 these days because they are never asked to...until the most important games of the year. I give the Mets batters tons of credit though. A lot of great at bats that made Kershaw work. Tejada and Grandy especially to set up that Wright at bat.
Exhibit A: Grady Little and Pedro I think people questioning Mattingly about taking Kershaw out didn't see the inning. That said you CAN question who Mattingly brought in to replace him.
Shows how mediocre the Dodgers pen is outside of Jansen and Howell. It goes against every unwritten rule in baseball but in a game like that I would've went with Jansen. Screw the closer title. When you're down 1-0 in a game like that the bottom of the 9th isnt a given. That out is bigger than any out you could get in a possible bottom of the 9th. Plus Howell has closed before so its not a huge downgrade if they had to go with him. Would've been a real ballsy move but this is the time of year to do that. Biggest spot, you gotta put you best guy out there if your gonna pull the ace.
I agree. the 1999 NLCS is prime example for us. Armando Benitez should have been put in the 8th to face the heart of the Braves line up that ended up tying the game off of John Franco. Franco was an average pitcher at that point, getting the heart of the order out in the 8th was more important than saving Benitez for a save in the 9th that never occurred.
I am incredibly calm right now. I think taking the first and being no less than 1 of 2 has completely taken the edge off. That and a bottle of Chateau Neuf de Pape. But seriously. I'm not even nervous. _
I know exactly how you feel. I think having Harvey going in game 3 at Citi is a great luxury and comfort right now.
Yeah he is going to stomp on their throats Monday nite. I can't imagine if we win tonite. Great to hear Conforto back in. _
Grenkei had some sick numbers this year, I understand some of that was against bad teams but an era of 1.66, that's insane. If he neutralizes our right handed hitters, I hope our lefties can do enough to win tonight.
Going in I was a little more concerned with Grienke than I was Kershaw. This is obviously a must win for LA and Grienke is gonna be tough. Great game tonite. Thor has the stuff to shut them out tho. Go get 'em Thor This could be classic tonight
Gotta hand it to Wright. He's driven me crazy with the blunders on defense, and on the base paths(for years); i.e. the botched double play last w/e. But Terry has stuck with him thru thick and thin. I commend Terry for that, even tho I questioned not getting a late inning replacement in there at 2nd, A La Lagares, at times. But Terry just doesn't want to lose an AB from him, and the alternatives aren't as cut and dry there as in the OF. Also, he's much better as a corner infielder, where he just reacts. The make up of the team, for now, dictates Murph at second tho
Cespedes and Conforto!!!! They said Conforto was hitting bombs in batting practice. He hits a homer in his first postseason at bat.
