Current Dodger Mookie Betts is the best player in baseball. Former Dodger Seager is in top 5.
I'd agree with you about Mookie here James, however isn't it interesting how both Seager's and Cody Bellinger's play has so greatly improved since the Dodgers traded them away?
The probably feel freer away from Roberts. And Pederson too, didn't he excel as well?
Pederson's stats have pretty much remined the same since the Dodgers traded him away. Mostly middling but occasionally able to get a key hit. I think he's pretty much used as a DH by the Giants now days, although I did see him make a pretty impressive catch in left field while watching a D-Backs/Giants game a few weeks back.
Yeah, I know you're not a Dave Roberts fan at all. I remember the time you stated around here (or maybe it was on the old TCM boards) that you believe the Dodgers would have won more World Series titles this past decade with a different manager.
(...but I've always chalked that up to two things...one, being that their old longtime closer during this era Kenley "Ol' Two Pitch"--and neither of them a decent breaking pitch--Jansen often faltering in big games, and secondly that their ace Clayton Kershaw's strange inability to locate his off-speed stuff during his second appearance within a playoff series)
Last edited by Dargo on September 15th, 2023, 12:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'd agree with you about Mookie here James, however isn't it interesting how both Seager's and Cody Bellinger's play has so greatly improved since the Dodgers traded them away?
The probably feel freer away from Roberts. And Pederson too, didn't he excel as well?
Pederson's stats have pretty much remined the same since the Dodgers traded him away. I think he's pretty much used as a DH by the Giants now days, although I did see him make a pretty impressive catch in left field while watching a D-Backs/Giants game a few weeks back.
Yeah, I know you're not a Dave Roberts fan at all. I remember the time you stated around here (or maybe it was on the old TCM boards) that you believe the Dodgers would have won more World Series titles this past decade with a different manager.
(...but I've always chalked that up to two things...one, being that their old longtime closer Kenley "Ol' Two Pitch" (and neither of them a decent breaking pitch) Jansen often faltering in big games, and secondly that their Ace Clayton Kershaw's strange inability to locate his off-speed stuff during his second appearance in a playoff series)
I would add the sign stealing by the Astros. That was very effective against Yu Darvish and Kershaw.
jamesjazzguitar wrote: ↑September 15th, 2023, 12:02 pm
I would add the sign stealing by the Astros. That was very effective against Yu Darvish and Kershaw.
Yeah, that's true as well.
(...still can't believe that at the very minimum there isn't a big ol' asterix placed next to their name on each and every list of WS champs)
I'd agree with you about Mookie here James, however isn't it interesting how both Seager's and Cody Bellinger's play has so greatly improved since the Dodgers traded them away?
The probably feel freer away from Roberts. And Pederson too, didn't he excel as well?
Pederson's stats have pretty much remined the same since the Dodgers traded him away. Mostly middling but occasionally able to get a key hit. I think he's pretty much used as a DH by the Giants now days, although I did see him make a pretty impressive catch in left field while watching a D-Backs/Giants game a few weeks back.
Yeah, I know you're not a Dave Roberts fan at all. I remember the time you stated around here (or maybe it was on the old TCM boards) that you believe the Dodgers would have won more World Series titles this past decade with a different manager.
(...but I've always chalked that up to two things...one, being that their old longtime closer during this era Kenley "Ol' Two Pitch"--and neither of them a decent breaking pitch--Jansen often faltering in big games, and secondly that their ace Clayton Kershaw's strange inability to locate his off-speed stuff during his second appearance within a playoff series)
I'd agree with you about Mookie here James, however isn't it interesting how both Seager's and Cody Bellinger's play has so greatly improved since the Dodgers traded them away?
The probably feel freer away from Roberts. And Pederson too, didn't he excel as well?
Pederson's stats have pretty much remined the same since the Dodgers traded him away. Mostly middling but occasionally able to get a key hit. I think he's pretty much used as a DH by the Giants now days, although I did see him make a pretty impressive catch in left field while watching a D-Backs/Giants game a few weeks back.
Yeah, I know you're not a Dave Roberts fan at all. I remember the time you stated around here (or maybe it was on the old TCM boards) that you believe the Dodgers would have won more World Series titles this past decade with a different manager.
(...but I've always chalked that up to two things...one, being that their old longtime closer during this era Kenley "Ol' Two Pitch"--and neither of them a decent breaking pitch--Jansen often faltering in big games, and secondly that their ace Clayton Kershaw's strange inability to locate his off-speed stuff during his second appearance within a playoff series)
I wouldn't blame Kershaw nor Kenley. Both have pitched decently at times in the playoffs. Roberts doesn't seem to handle pitchers well in the post season. He will boast a pitching rotation of 5, 6, and one time as many 8, to show off his pitching staff; but when it's playoff time he won't trust them much. In the last loss to the Braves in the playoff he panicked, using Buhler too much. Usually a starter he was he used in relief and I remember him yielding that three-run homer to Eddie Rosario that sunk the Dodgers. A great at bat for him, he studied Buhler intently not moving his gaze and then got the pitch he wanted. As if he spotted s weakness of even fatigue. Buhler is a young fellow, still ... but even before Rosario's homer he looked tired. Part of my dislike of Roberts is his adoption of the new wave of tendencies like the 100 pitch rule. Mattingly is like that, or was ... if he is even still managing. But lots of managers are thinking like that. Losing to the Padres last year was certainly not Robert's fault. The Dodgers did not perform well and though you can cast blame based on stats, the long view is, well, that's baseball for you. After a long, long season, the playoffs are short and dangerous. Anything can happen (as you know, of course).
Brandon Staley's head should roll. Getting lucky and winning that game today does not excuse him for one of the most stupidly idiotic abominable absurd decisions ever possibly in the history of the NFL. He nearly cost the season for the Chargers. Is it fair to the players to have their season gone because a bad coaching decision. Mr. Staley is an imbecile. If I were owner or general manager of the Chargers, I would fire his ass immediately. I would have him clear his desk and out of the building within two hours or have him forcibly removed. He won the game but should be acutely embarrassed in the doing.
laffite wrote: ↑September 24th, 2023, 3:48 pm
Brandon Staley's head should roll. Getting lucky and winning that game today does not excuse him for one of the most stupidly idiotic abominable absurd decisions ever possibly in the history of the NFL. He nearly cost the season for the Chargers. Is it fair to the players to have their season gone because a bad coaching decision. Mr. Staley is an imbecile. If I were owner or general manager of the Chargers, I would fire his ass immediately. I would have him clear his desk and out of the building within two hours or have him forcibly removed. He won the game but should be acutely embarrassed in the doing.
Dean Spanos is too cheap to fire Staley. Staley is indeed an imbecile and has been for the last 2 seasons.
As one who has spent nearly my entire life in the Baltimore area there is no figure, let alone sports figure, who is more beloved than Brooks. (And I would argue more than Cal.) He retained his southern bred sensibilities while embracing this town. it is a sad day in Baltimore and in the world of baseball.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Brandon Staley gets away with it again. Leading by seven with three minutes to go and facing a fourth one ON THEIR OWN 39 yard line, and instead of going with the usual, punting the ball, he tries for the first down to ice the game and for the SECOND WEEK IN A ROW misses it. Last week this type of mistake allows the opposing to get down to the Charger four-yard-line to nearly win the game. Yesterday the opposing team gets to the six yard line to force an overtime. Both times he lucks out, and so the team lucks out. After working hard in the field like all football do, the team nearly lose all BY RIDICULOUSLY STUPID decision by an idiot coach. It's frustrating to read real spineless sports writers who refuse to call Staley out on this. They say things like "a questionable call," when by any reasonable standard they are foolhardy at best. Staley has the freakin' gall to say that the decisions he makes are those that "give us the best chance of winning," when in reality he is making egregiously stupid decisions that puts his team in unnecessary jeopardy of losing. By winning them does not vindicate those decisions, although he probably thinks that way. He also said, "we could be 4-0 instead of 2-2" without realizing the higher possibility that might be 0-4. It's truly amazing that a head coach in the NFL would make these kinds of decisions. I get it, we are in a age of 'going for it' in fourth down situations but there are limits to that. Staley doesn't think so. He probably feels smug where others might feel sheepish. The Chargers are lucky to have their two victories this year. At the asinine BS (double entendre) cannot make another asinine call next week. The Chargers have the bye.
laffite wrote: ↑October 2nd, 2023, 9:28 am
...It's frustrating to read real spineless sports writers who refuse to call Staley out on this. They say things like "a questionable call," when by any reasonable standard they are foolhardy at best.
I agree that the present trend of many younger head coaches to go on fourth down in their own side of the field has gotten out of hand. On the other hand, it always used to grate on me that coaches wouldn't go for it on fourth and short when their team was past midfield but just out of field goal range and would decide to punt it, and which would and does usually end up just netting only about 20 or so yards after the change of possession because the punters would and will invariably punt the ball into the end zone. There's just doesn't seem to be any punters around anymore who have the abilty to "coffin corner" the ball within the opponent's 5 yard line and like Ray Guy was so good at doing back in the day.
However and in regard to the part of your post I excerpted here...Didn't Terry Bradshaw call out Staley's decision from last week's game in no uncertain terms?
laffite wrote: ↑October 2nd, 2023, 9:28 am
...It's frustrating to read real spineless sports writers who refuse to call Staley out on this. They say things like "a questionable call," when by any reasonable standard they are foolhardy at best.
I agree that the present trend of many younger head coaches to go on fourth down in their own side of the field has gotten out of hand. On the other hand, it always used to grate on me that coaches wouldn't go for it on fourth and short when their team was past midfield but just out of field goal range and would decide to punt it, and which would and does usually end up just netting only about 20 or so yards after the change of possession because the punters would and will invariably punt the ball into the end zone. There's just doesn't seem to be any punters around anymore who have the abilty to "coffin corner" the ball within the opponent's 5 yard line and like Ray Guy was so good at doing back in the day.
However and in regard to the part of your post I excerpted here...Didn't Terry Bradshaw call out Staley's decision from last week's game in no uncertain terms?
If Bradshaw did that, then he is a HERO of our football times. AND HE WOULD KNOW !!!!!! He played before all the tomfoolery started. I will try and google those remarks if I can find them. And it would take a Bradshaw to speak the truth. He is an "elder statesman" and he can do what others might be reluctant to do. Ask Andy Reid or Bill Bilichick, as well. They would no doubt agree. Brandon Staley is a disgrace.
laffite wrote: ↑October 2nd, 2023, 2:12 pm
If Bradshaw did that, then he is a HERO of our football times. AND HE WOULD KNOW !!!!!! He played before all the tomfoolery started. I will try and google those remarks if I can find them. And it would take a Bradshaw to speak the truth. He is an "elder statesman" and he can do what others might be reluctant to do. Ask Andy Reid or Bill Bilichick, as well. They would no doubt agree. Brandon Staley is a disgrace.
Thanks, Dargo.
Funny you mentioning Belichick in this context though, and because you may recall he was one of the first coaches to begin going for it on fourth down in "questionable" field position, and even in the Pats' own territory on occasion. I think he was actually the guy who started this whole recent trend...for better or for worse. He was also the first coach I remember calling a play-action pass on second and short yardage and thus surpising the Defense and often then resulting in a long gain. I still grumble whenever I see any coach (almost all do) decide to just run for the first down in these sorts of situations as I believe they're missing a golden oppurtunity for a big play.
Now, my feeling on this whole thing is that the coach must take into consideration how his running game has been doing during the game and especially during the most recent times during the game...i.e. the flow of the game. If his running game has been doing well, then yes and while taking into account the field position, his chances of success would favor him as I've always felt in key short yardage down situations a running play is the best play to call because as ol' "Three Yards and a Cloud of Dust" Woody Hayes used to say "There are three things that can happen on a pass play, and two of them are bad".
(...my basic feeling being that if you can't even get one measly yard by use of your running game when you need it, you don't deserve to win the game)
