2018 Postseason Thread

[Quake Griffin]

Still in shock that Boston pushed Houston’s **** in.

Gotta say. Something is a little more settling about the prospect of not needing to play with the pressure of losing to Houston again looming over us.

I’ll be careful what I wish for.


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[Quake Griffin]

Imagine thinking Muncy at 2B is a good idea.

Unbelievable


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[Quake Griffin]

In his 6th AB of this series (Stupid **** Dave), David Freese goes yard off of Miley.

This time, not robbed by Cain.

[Quake Griffin]

Lol and the ball finds Muncy immediately.


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[Ranma]

Seriously, why do we keep going to Grandal? How many times does the ball have to get passed him before Roberts takes the hint? Playing him actually limits our pitchers' willingness to throw breaking balls because they don't trust the backstop to field them.

I thought defense was a priority but we also have the likes of Muncy out on the field to boot.

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[Ranma]

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[Quake Griffin]

Grandal’s becoming a convenient place for Dodger fans to park their overall frustrations with this team.

He caught innings 12 n 13 in Game 4. The pitchers aren’t scared to throw him breaking balls. Maeda threw more after that pitch...one to K the hitter.


Today?
5-2.
2 on.
1 out.
Turner n Machado up.
Turner pop up.
Machado k.

^^^^
This won’t make waves on twitter....but OMFGWTFBBQ Yasmani Grandal didn’t stop a properly scored crappy slider will.

#ThisSeriesIsntOnGrandal



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[Quake Griffin]

Fox guys are already discussing Kershaw starting Game 7 under the theory that he’s going to pitch anyway.

*Rolls Eyes*
At least it’s coming up before Game 7 this time and not MMQBing a Game 7 loss.


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[Quake Griffin]

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[Ranma]

Grandal’s becoming a convenient place for Dodger fans to park their overall frustrations with this team.

He caught innings 12 n 13 in Game 4. The pitchers aren’t scared to throw him breaking balls. Maeda threw more after that pitch...one to K the hitter.


Today?
5-2.
2 on.
1 out.
Turner n Machado up.
Turner pop up.
Machado k.

^^^^
This won’t make waves on twitter....but OMFGWTFBBQ Yasmani Grandal didn’t stop a properly scored crappy slider will.

#ThisSeriesIsntOnGrandal

As I've noted before, the whole team has been disappointing with its defense and lack of timely hitting, but for someone so quick to throw Kershaw under the bus, I don't get the continued excuse-making for Grandal. His defense is very likely an all-time worst for a starting catcher in MLB history and his offense has been historically abysmal in the postseason. Why the hell does he keep getting chances and what makes him worthy of getting any benefit of doubt?

You can point to Turner and Machado not performing in instances but Machado has more than done his part and even Turner has put up great historical numbers in on-base percentage. Grandal has been flat out terrible across the board. Anyone can see that by checking his postseason stats.

I seriously don't get the logic of playing someone who is unreliable defensively and offensively, especially when the entire team is struggling. Kershaw certainly has a much batter track record in the postseason than Grandal and yet Clayton has been the quick target of your ire while Grandal gets a pass? There is no rhyme and reason for this BS.

[Ranma]

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[Quake Griffin]

Grandal’s becoming a convenient place for Dodger fans to park their overall frustrations with this team.

He caught innings 12 n 13 in Game 4. The pitchers aren’t scared to throw him breaking balls. Maeda threw more after that pitch...one to K the hitter.


Today?
5-2.
2 on.
1 out.
Turner n Machado up.
Turner pop up.
Machado k.

^^^^
This won’t make waves on twitter....but OMFGWTFBBQ Yasmani Grandal didn’t stop a properly scored crappy slider will.

#ThisSeriesIsntOnGrandal

As I've noted before, the whole team has been disappointing with its defense and lack of timely hitting, but for someone so quick to throw Kershaw under the bus, I don't get the continued excuse-making for Grandal. His defense is very likely an all-time worst for a starting catcher in MLB history and his offense has been historically abysmal in the postseason. Why the hell does he keep getting chances and what makes him worthy of getting any benefit of doubt?

You can point to Turner and Machado not performing in instances but Machado has more than done his part and even Turner has put up great historical numbers in on-base percentage. Grandal has been flat out terrible across the board. Anyone can see that by checking his postseason stats.

I seriously don't get the logic of playing someone who is unreliable defensively and offensively, especially when the entire team is struggling. Kershaw certainly has a much batter track record in the postseason than Grandal and yet Clayton has been the quick target of your ire while Grandal gets a pass? There is no rhyme and reason for this BS.

Well, I've argued on Kershaw's behalf for years. Using the term that I've "quickly" thrown him under the bus when he's had 5 postseasons to win a ring and has put forth bad starts in all of them (save for maybe 2015 where Game 1 Mets was just mediocre) and actually been the direct cause of our loss in at least one series, just isn't correct. Also, Kershaw is a clubhouse leader. This is HIS team. To the extent you believe I'm quicker on my trigger with him (I'm really not), it's because the team follows his lead and his chokes are debilitating. When Grandal chokes? Put in Austin.

I haven't really made any excuse for Grandal. I've been clear that Austin should be playing. I've also made it clear that even though I actually like Grandal - the person, the father, the hard worker, the Miami Hurricane supporter and the baseball fan he is (like you do Kershaw)- I wouldn't let it cloud my judgment because he hasn't earned the right to play over Austin Barnes at this point. I've called his bat anemic. I've said he's not been competitive at the dish. I've praised Austin for his clutch hit the other day. What more do you want me to say about Grandal? Do you want me to treat him with the vitriol you and twitter have been?

Austin should be starting tonight.
Austin should finish the game tonight if at all possible.
I worry about Grandal and his passed balls.
No, they're not anywhere close to why we are in the position we are in. NOT CLOSE!
No. It's not his fault Kershaw went Kershaw in Game 1 (If so, then he gets credit for Kershaw in Game 2 of the Atlanta series).
No, he's not the Brewers NLCS MVP.
No, Maeda's **** slider isn't his fault nor is it from fear to throw him breaking balls because he threw him another one to K that hitter.

I add nuance to my conversations and people don't like it. They want it to be all or nothing. I can like Grandal, think his mistakes aren't close to why we are here right now, think Grandal is an October failure, think he doesn't deserve to play over Austin, and not want you to lay Maeda's mistake at his feet....I can do them all at once.

[Ranma]

Well, I've argued on Kershaw's behalf for years. Using the term that I've "quickly" thrown him under the bus when he's had 5 postseasons to win a ring and has put forth bad starts in all of them (save for maybe 2015 where Game 1 Mets was just mediocre) and actually been the direct cause of our loss in at least one series, just isn't correct. Also, Kershaw is a clubhouse leader. This is HIS team. To the extent you believe I'm quicker on my trigger with him (I'm really not), it's because the team follows his lead and his chokes are debilitating. When Grandal chokes? Put in Austin.

I haven't really made any excuse for Grandal. I've been clear that Austin should be playing. I've also made it clear that even though I actually like Grandal - the person, the father, the hard worker, the Miami Hurricane supporter and the baseball fan he is (like you do Kershaw)- I wouldn't let it cloud my judgment because he hasn't earned the right to play over Austin Barnes at this point. I've called his bat anemic. I've said he's not been competitive at the dish. I've praised Austin for his clutch hit the other day. What more do you want me to say about Grandal? Do you want me to treat him with the vitriol you and twitter have been?

Austin should be starting tonight.
Austin should finish the game tonight if at all possible.
I worry about Grandal and his passed balls.
No, they're not anywhere close to why we are in the position we are in. NOT CLOSE!
No. It's not his fault Kershaw went Kershaw in Game 1 (If so, then he gets credit for Kershaw in Game 2 of the Atlanta series).
No, he's not the Brewers NLCS MVP.
No, Maeda's **** slider isn't his fault nor is it from fear to throw him breaking balls because he threw him another one to K that hitter.

I add nuance to my conversations and people don't like it. They want it to be all or nothing. I can like Grandal, think his mistakes aren't close to why we are here right now, think Grandal is an October failure, think he doesn't deserve to play over Austin, and not want you to lay Maeda's mistake at his feet....I can do them all at once.

Nuance? By every metric, he's been one of the worst postseason players in baseball and probably even history given his ineptitude at the plate and behind it. I've previously acknowledged my surprise and even credited Grandal for grossly outplaying Barnes during the regular season, so it's not like I haven't given him his due whenever it has been warranted.

It's no secret that I haven't been a fan of his when we first traded for him due to his PED suspension and inability to get along with his previous pitching staff in San Diego, but I've come around to appreciate what he did during the regular season. However, looking at his performance and historical postseason stats, there is absolutely no justification for his crappy play and I'll even say attitude.

After his errors and passed balls in one game, he tells the media that he was caught flat-footed and that it won't happen again. He again gives up passed balls and then has the audacity to tell the media afterwards that they're making a bigger deal of it than he is. Wild pitch from Maeda or not, he let another ball get right by him despite not even starting in the game. All of this while being an absolute garbage with the bat. Even Cody Bellinger has been more reliable as a hitter than Grandal has ever been.

You can point to Kershaw's self destruction all you want, but he at least put up big numbers and has actually compared favorably to some of the postseason's best pitchers. Grandal has been absolute and utter excrement. I don't particularly appreciate the excuse-making coming from him or you since I want this team to execute. Period. Grandal's attitude on the matter leaves me riled up even more.

Roberts has been thoroughly outmanaged by the opposition just like he was last year in the playoffs, the players are struggling all over. I came into this postseason having doubts about the Dodgers' chances to begin with but I'm not going to stand for any BS coming from players or fans.

You can like him all you want but pointing fingers at one of the greatest players to ever wear a Dodger uniform while making excuses for someone who has shown himself to be unproductively hard-headed and even a cheater is not going to win you any points with me at all. Dude has more to prove than anybody else out there right now and that was the case when we first acquired him, so I'm in no mood to tolerate any excuses for him.

Plus, if you haven't noticed, I've actually called out Turner, Kershaw, and even Machado on their respective lack of follow-through during particular instances. The difference is that all three of those guys have more than earned leeway. Grandal has not.

[Quake Griffin]

Very odd that I actually laid out the exact nuance I was talking about and you averted the nuance conversation to what you wanted it to be. You can address the specific nuance I'm talking about and not spin it into some garbage about "gray area".

I add nuance to my conversations and people don't like it. They want it to be all or nothing. I can like Grandal, think his mistakes aren't close to why we are here right now, think Grandal is an October failure, think he doesn't deserve to play over Austin, and not want you to lay Maeda's mistake at his feet....I can do them all at once.

_____________________________________________

Yasmani Passed Ball strikes again.

Smfh


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That last passed ball is the end of Grandal in this postseason.


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It's been a long held criticism of him and he's never gotten better at it. Seems like it's one of those, "take me as I am with all my flaws" type of things.

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It's one thing to not hit.

But a pop fly would have scored a run there. It's anemic in every sense of the word....not just the 6 for 65. The outs are never productive.

I've been more than fair in how I've evaluated Yasmani Grandal this October by any measure. He's not an October performer and he shouldn't be playing. I don't get how calling him Yasmani Passed Ball is making an excuse for him.


But we know what this really is since I've been in support of Austin playing and I've criticized EVERY area of Grandal's play. It's a 2nd bite at the Kershaw apple. Fine. I'll bite. Kershaw is almost akin to a QB. It is more important that our leader is not a huge playoff choke artist getting crapped on by Frank Thomas for lowering his head after homers given up to bullpen pitchers than it is YG doesn't have passed balls. Team Leader dropping his head is worse for a team overall than the prospect of just subbing out a Sucky October Catcher for a relatively equal catcher who won't choke. No matter the case, I've asked for the October failure to be removed....You're wrong as well on Grandal having something to prove. He has nothing to prove. He shouldn't be playing at this point.

P.S. No. It's Maeda's fault. Grandal had no chance to block that ball. Joe Buck and SMoltz said it on national television. It was thrown 50 feet and bounced high in the air. You are parking your frustrations with this team with Grandal. I won't allow it. Keep the heat on the "leeway" guys. They're the reason we lost last night. They'll be the reason we get a ring or they'll be the reason we don't.

[Quake Griffin]

Grandal starts Monday. He has a tough task....calling young Walker through his 2nd postseason start. I think Austin did a fine job behind the plate and he did a fantastic job drawing the walk to score Machado in the 7th. I'm not sure I trust Grandal to do that. I definitely sat with the girl I'm dating and whined, "Grandal please dont GIDP" about 10-15 times right before Grandal GIDP following Austin's AB. Incredibly frustrating.

[Quake Griffin]

As much as I like Grandal, the anemic bat in October is killing me.

We need to get some production from the catcher spot in October.

It’s killing us.


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Yeah....just gonna ignore any further ideas that I make excuses for a guy just because I like him.

[Ranma]

I've been more than fair in how I've evaluated Yasmani Grandal this October by any measure. He's not an October performer and he shouldn't be playing. I don't get how calling him Yasmani Passed Ball is making an excuse for him.


But we know what this really is since I've been in support of Austin playing and I've criticized EVERY area of Grandal's play. It's a 2nd bite at the Kershaw apple. Fine. I'll bite. Kershaw is almost akin to a QB. It is more important that our leader is not a huge playoff choke artist getting crapped on by Frank Thomas for lowering his head after homers given up to bullpen pitchers than it is YG doesn't have passed balls. Team Leader dropping his head is worse for a team overall than the prospect of just subbing out a Sucky October Catcher for a relatively equal catcher who won't choke. No matter the case, I've asked for the October failure to be removed....You're wrong as well on Grandal having something to prove. He has nothing to prove. He shouldn't be playing at this point.

P.S. No. It's Maeda's fault. Grandal had no chance to block that ball. Joe Buck and SMoltz said it on national television. It was thrown 50 feet and bounced high in the air. You are parking your frustrations with this team with Grandal. I won't allow it. Keep the heat on the "leeway" guys. They're the reason we lost last night. They'll be the reason we get a ring or they'll be the reason we don't.

Whatever. No single player is responsible for our postseason failure, which includes Kershaw, by the way, without whom we wouldn't be in the postseason to begin with and, again, you have no problem going to that well at every opportunity. Yeah, you've praised him some but I'm looking at the overall picture with your posts. So what if you've called out Grandal for his mistakes when there have been plenty of opportunities to do so? Again, I look at the overall picture of your assessment of him when you then go with the don't blame Yasmani for our failures, but that sentiment doesn't seem to apply to Kershaw for whatever reason despite the fact that Kershaw has been more responsible for our team success both in the postseason and regular season.

This so-called "nuance" you claim to be riding on is nothing but selective criticism on whom to choose to apply it to. To me he's as terrible a postseason performer as the lily-livered Yu Darvish was. Neither of those guys even deserve postseason roster spots.
In fact, I'm half-jokingly going to suggest that **** should have been the backup C with Stripling on the roster, especially given our frequent usage of the entire pitching staff.

This isn't even the first time. I mean I even recall how last season you thought this team should be built around Seager and Bellinger and were ready to give them the keys to the kingdom only to see Bellinger become a posteason goat who continues to struggle today and Seager stubbornly grind himself into missing the entire season.

Again, I say whatever. If you want to join the Grandal fan club or continue to make excuses for whatever other player tickles your fancy whenever the mood strikes, don't count on me buying into it. Seriously, cite me another example of a player who's had as many passed balls and errors as this dillweed and who's had so few hits in his many opportunities.

Trying to shift the blame onto Turner and Machado, again both of whom have actually contributed to our success is a weak attempt to divert from the blame. A crappy catcher who can't hit or field handling the pitchers for most of the postseason is a big deal to me given how much relies on the position. But, no, Machado and Turner didn't come up at this particular instance.

Where's the finger pointing at your golden boy Bellinger? I've noticed you've been noticeably silent on him as well.

As I've made clear, but seem to find the need to repeat myself, this is indeed a team issue but playing or otherwise making excuses for players who don't deserve roster spots is a problem. As evidenced by Barnes clutch hit, a key play from a single player can snap a whole team out of a funk.

Consistently relying on proven failures like Darvish and Grandal in the postseason is totally a problem when they've been consistently disastrous. But hey, it's no big deal. Everyone else is struggling, why not give them a pass?

If you want to continue on with this line of dialog, then I'll leave you to yourself, as I'm sure you're just about the only one doing any sort of rationalization in defense of Grandal. Me I'm personally hoping to solve the problem with the team instead of distracting myself with players not even worth playing. I have better things to do than waste time and resources just like the Dodgers have been doing with Grandal.

Grandal’s becoming a convenient place for Dodger fans to park their overall frustrations with this team.

He caught innings 12 n 13 in Game 4. The pitchers aren’t scared to throw him breaking balls. Maeda threw more after that pitch...one to K the hitter.


Today?
5-2.
2 on.
1 out.
Turner n Machado up.
Turner pop up.
Machado k.

^^^^
This won’t make waves on twitter....but OMFGWTFBBQ Yasmani Grandal didn’t stop a properly scored crappy slider will.

#ThisSeriesIsntOnGrandal

[Ranma]

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[Quake Griffin]

Whatever. No single player is responsible for our postseason failure, which includes Kershaw, by the way, without whom we wouldn't be in the postseason to begin with and, again, you have no problem going to that well at every opportunity.

This is fiction. Kershaw alone cost us the 2014 NLDS.

Also, it's not 2013 and 2014 anymore. He's not a 7-10 WAR pitcher anymore. He's not why we make the postseason anymore and he hasn't been for years. To suggest so is preposterous in its own right.

So what if you've called out Grandal for his mistakes when there have been plenty of opportunities to do so?

So what if I do the thing that you say I don't do? Uhhhh...welll...ok.

[color=#0040BF]Again, I look at the overall picture of your assessment of him when you then go with the don't blame Yasmani for our failures, but that sentiment doesn't seem to apply to Kershaw for whatever reason despite the fact that Kershaw has been more responsible for our team success both in the postseason and regular season.

When Grandal literally is responsible for our postseason failures, I'll step up and say it. When he's not the reason why we are failing and we're just being opportunistic with his mistakes to blame him, I'll say it....

Game 1 - Kershaw choked. That is why we lost.
Game 3 - We got shutout. That is why we lost.

Color nobody surprised that Kershaw melted down and "the overall picture" of your post was Kershaw didn't do well but OMG PASSED BALLS. No one saw that coming at all. I didn't bug about it because I don't care if you have an allegiance to Kershaw and believe in him. I care that you tell the truth about him. You will not allow me the same when it comes to Yasmani Grandal (I like Grandal, I don't believe in him)...which is unfortunate.

This so-called "nuance" you claim to be riding on is nothing but selective criticism on whom to choose to apply it to. To me he's as terrible a postseason performer as the lily-livered Yu Darvish was. Neither of those guys even deserve postseason roster spots.
In fact, I'm half-jokingly going to suggest that **** should have been the backup C with Stripling on the roster, especially given our frequent usage of the entire pitching staff.

The idea is to apply it to everybody equally regardless of who you like and who you don't like. I can criticize Grandal. I did. See above where you had to hide behind "the overall picture". I criticized Darvish.

You have shown an inability to hold Kershaw to the standard of the game's best pitcher. You've only plead loyalty and blamed others....including young rookies for our playoff failures.

Me? Consistent. Kershaw you're a choke. So are you, Yu. So are you, Grandal.

[color=#0040BF]
This isn't even the first time. I mean I even recall how last season you thought this team should be built around Seager and Bellinger and were ready to give them the keys to the kingdom only to see Bellinger become a posteason goat who continues to struggle today and Seager stubbornly grind himself into missing the entire season.

Pretty sure if we go find that quote, it says Bellinger, Seager, and Buehler....remember the Buehler you wanted traded for Archer at the beginning of the season? The one you wanted traded for Gerritt Cole at the beginning of the year???

Yeah....I stand by that.

Again, I say whatever. If you want to join the Grandal fan club or continue to make excuses for whatever other player tickles your fancy whenever the mood strikes, don't count on me buying into it. Seriously, cite me another example of a player who's had as many passed balls and errors as this dillweed and who's had so few hits in his many opportunities.

I can't. He shouldn't be playing. Will you ignore this again for "the overall picture"???

Trying to shift the blame onto Turner and Machado, again both of whom have actually contributed to our success is a weak attempt to divert from the blame. A crappy catcher who can't hit or field handling the pitchers for most of the postseason is a big deal to me given how much relies on the position. But, no, Machado and Turner didn't come up at this particular instance.

You seem to have an inability to weave between blaming the player and blaming the circumstance as it relates to the team. IDC if **** Hernandez is a choke because we can just sub him out. Same with I dunno...Joc. Grandal, the player, is a choke artist and shouldn't play. As a circumstance, all is not lost when he chokes. IDC if Grandal is a choke as much as Kershaw because Barnes is a more than adequate back up. I DO CARE when our thumpers are not coming through with runners on base and that will draw most of my attention.

If Turner and Machado don't hit, we go home. If Grandal sucks...Barnes comes in.
Something else you're gonna ignore. It's logical. It's right but it will go largely ignored because....i dunno...emotions....and...reasons.

Where's the finger pointing at your golden boy Bellinger? I've noticed you've been noticeably silent on him as well.

Pretty sure I've called him out in here for not hitting. He's not my golden boy. I think Seager is my golden boy and I can't wait for him to get back. My problem with Bellinger was you blamed him for the WS when he saved Kershaw's bacon in Game 5 of the WS and Kershaw still couldn't come back and put up a zero.

"Overall picture"...blaming a rookie for the WS and not holding a $30 million BPIB accountable...it's weak.

Consistently relying on proven failures like Darvish and Grandal in the postseason is totally a problem when they've been consistently disastrous. But hey, it's no big deal. Everyone else is struggling, why not give them a pass?

Oddly enough, I've actually given none of them pass even though you swear I have.

But...Pot meet kettle?

If you want to continue on with this line of dialog, then I'll leave you to yourself, as I'm sure you're just about the only one doing any sort of rationalization in defense of Grandal. Me I'm personally hoping to solve the problem with the team instead of distracting myself with players not even worth playing. I have better things to do than waste time and resources just like the Dodgers have been doing with Grandal.

I don't.

I'm pulling for this team and holding the people responsible accountable.
I'm cheering for Austin and I'm cheering for Kershaw to bring us home a WS title. I'm not going to let being right or wrong in this forum get in the way of that.


Enjoy blaming Grandal.

[Ranma]

Whatever. No single player is responsible for our postseason failure, which includes Kershaw, by the way, without whom we wouldn't be in the postseason to begin with and, again, you have no problem going to that well at every opportunity.

This is fiction. Kershaw alone cost us the 2014 NLDS.

Also, it's not 2013 and 2014 anymore. He's not a 7-10 WAR pitcher anymore. He's not why we make the postseason anymore and he hasn't been for years. To suggest so is preposterous in its own right.

Enjoy your echo chamber.

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