Vicente Padilla was great Saturday, throwing seven shutout innings to close out the Cardinals and help propel the Dodgers into the NLCS. Padilla's gem was tied for the 31st highest Game Score in Dodger postseason history. Game Score was a fun stat developed by Bill James years ago as a quick and dirty way to evaluate a pitcher's performance. Here is the formula, from the glossary of Baseball-Reference.com:
Start with 50 points. Add 1 point for each out recorded, (or 3 points per inning). Add 2 points for each inning completed after the 4th. Add 1 point for each strikeout. Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed. Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed. Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed. Subtract 1 point for each walk.
The best all-time Game Score in Dodger playoff history was Don Drysdale's 1-0 shutout of the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1963 World Series. He gave up three hits and one walk while striking out nine, for a game score of 89. The next two top Game Scores belong to Sandy Koufax, who posted two 88s within a four-day period, in Games 5 and 7 of the 1965 World Series.
Padilla's Game Score today was 72, his second-best outing of the season. But really, the main excuse for this post was to show yet another celebration photo.