Looking Back On A Blowout

but it was not as gut wrenching as 2008 NLCS game 1, which I was also at. After the second inning, it was easy to accept the loss and just relax for the rest of the game.

Since there was nothing notable to mention on the field, one of my favorite moments came after the Phanatic did a skit playing on the late-arriving, early-leaving Dodgers fans. An inning after that skit, there were huge sections of empty seats at CBP. I’m not making an “our fans are better than yours argument.” Just pointing out how moronic and hypocritical it can be to stereotype fans.

I think they get it done against Blanton today and then all of a sudden the Phillies won’t seem so dominant.

Long time lurker, first time poster. Had to sign up to share my thoughts on the Game 3 debacle:

Cliff Lee – Is Lee a great pitcher? Yes, and an AL CY Young suggests so. Did Lee pitch well last night? Yes, he was lights out. Did Lee have 10 K/0 BB/3 H stuff last night? No. Although I must admit I missed the better part of the game after watching Elbert struggle to throw a strike (the Bears-Falcons game was far more entertaining, so I watched that mostly, and the Bears managed to lose by fewer points), from what I saw Lee was good but not incredible. Frankly, I believe Padilla has had the best performance of any starter on either team in this series before. I wasn’t overly impressed by Pedro either. Really, the Dodgers look absolutely lazy at the plate last night (as they did on Friday, a game I nearly fell asleep watching). I didn’t feel like I was watching a fantastic pitcher dismantle a MLB team, I felt like I was watching a good MLB pitcher dismantle a low-A ball lineup.

Hiroki Kuroda – Can we claim the back is injured and swap this guy out for Weaver? What was this guy doing starting Game 3? Yes, I have hindsight to work with here, but I will offset that by stating that I didn’t think (and still don’t think) Padilla should have been starting Game 2 (9 times out of 10 he doesn’t go up against Philly and hold them to 1 run, we got lucky). Wolf should have been on the mound last night, and Billingsley tonight. If you’re going with a BB-prone youngster in Game 1, why not go with a BB-prone youngster in Game 3 or 4? Especially when the alternative is a SP who unfortunately has missed a great deal of time due to injury recently. Kuroda starting seems to be a case of look-at-this-guy-he-pitched-a-great-simulated-game-recently and hey-remember-last-year-this-guy-threw-at-the-other-guys-but-Chad-didn’t. Ridiculous… Free Chad Billingsley!!

Ronnie Belliard – It’s time to get this guy back on the bench. You hit well for us (read: you hit like someone who isn’t Ronnie Belliard) down the stretch and in the NLDS, but you’re not getting it done now. I’d rather fold the hot but cooling hand and get the defensive upgrade with Hudson and a more versatile batter to boot. Every time I see the Phillies shoot a single up the middle, past the fat man, I cringe.

I must evoke Dennis Green. I hate to say it, but I’m starting to wonder if the Dodgers are who everyone else thought they were: a good defensive team with no ace pitcher, a slightly-above-average NL offense, and a slugger who looks lost at the plate since serving a suspension for using a banned substance. At least we still have baseball’s best bullpen, but that doesn’t matter if you can’t get a run on the board, whether your starter gives up 6 runs in 1.1 innings (Kuroda) or 1 run in 7.1 innings (Padilla).

Hamels, Pedro, Lee, Blanton… a very good staff, no doubt, but that can’t be an excuse. We put up 13 ER on Lincecum in 25.2 innings this season, 6 in 12 against Cain, 9 in 9.1 against Jurrjens. We had 9 hits in 5 innings against Carpenter last week. The headlines should not read “Lee steamrolls dodgers,” they should read “Dodgers leave bats in LA, look like fools on the mound.”

No, I’m not giving up on the team. But I’m fed up with the joke of a team that is playing the Phillies right now. Where’s the team that I was so certain was the best all around team in the NL, from March until last Saturday? Get those guys out on the field in CPB. I want to watch them. They’re a great, fun team. They’re my team. Not these layabouts that fumbled and bumbled around last night.

2 more in Philly, 2 more in LA, 3 games to win, and only one more that we can give up. Dodgers can do this. A win tonight and we’re in the driver’s seat. Get the bats off your shoulders, offense. Throw strikes, pitchers. This is our year! GO BLUE!