Smell You Later, 2009
October 21, 2009 at 8:57 pm | Posted in 2009 NLCS vs. Phillies | 24 Comments
No point in breaking this one down, is there? Vicente Padilla didn’t have it, and while Cole Hamels didn’t really either, at least he managed to keep his three homers allowed to be all of the solo variety. Really, for an elimination game that saw six homers, there wasn’t a whole lot of excitement – just look at the FanGraphs win expectancy chart: Phillies all the way.
Talk about anti-climactic; this game was over in the bottom of the 1st inning.
Looking back at the 2009 NLCS, no one’s above reproach – except perhaps Andre Ethier, and maybe a tip of the hat to Orlando Hudson for hitting a pinch-homer in what was likely his final Dodger at-bat. There’s no shame in losing to the defending World Champions who look to be even better than last year, of course. Still, one wonders what might have been if Game 4 hadn’t ended the way it did and we were all tied up at 2 entering tonight.
I can only imagine the shitstorm the media will make about this in the coming days, but it’s important to remember that this wasn’t some epic chokejob against an underdog opponent. The Phillies are a fantastic team – probably just a better team – and they simply performed better.
Looking ahead to the offseason, it’s going to be a busy one. Did you realize that of this year’s starting 8 (9, if you count both 2Bmen), only Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal have 2010 contracts right now? And that doesn’t even consider the obvious starting rotation moves, possible coaching changes, and any fallout over the McCourt divorce.
We’ll be here for all of it at MSTI; probably spend a few days licking our wounds and refuting gross media inaccuracies, and start 2009 player reviews on Monday.
Thanks for sticking with us this year.
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A tip of the hat to you, MSTI. Fantastic blog all year.
Comment by Stephen— October 21, 2009 #
I just wanted to reiterate what Stephen said. Great job covering the Dodgers this year, MSTI. You’re still my number one Dodger fan site to go to, and although this year didn’t turn out the way we all wanted it to, I take solace in the fact that we’ll be weathering that storm together in the offseason hailstorm of moves and speculation.
Comment by The Fury— October 21, 2009 #
At the risk of seeming like I’m running around signing everyone’s yearbook at the end of the high school year, I wanted to thank you for a great Dodger blog: insightful, funny, sarcastic, and aligned in utter hatred of Bill Plaschke’s formulaic, emotional drivel. Keep up the great work.
SoSG Steve Sax
Comment by SoSG Steve Sax— October 21, 2009 #
This was the year I discovered MSTI. So there’s that. Still, wish I would have used those tickets to game 7.
Comment by mike sharperson lives!— October 21, 2009 #
Aw, shucks, guys. I love you too.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— October 21, 2009 #
Great blog. I really appreciate your work.
Comment by Black Mustache— October 21, 2009 #
All our gratitude are belong to you.
Comment by John Clevenger— October 21, 2009 #
Great blog MSTI!
Comment by Daniel— October 21, 2009 #
Well, Manny kinda has a contract. He can opt out if he wishes, though I can’t imagine anyone giving him anywhere close to the 20 million he’s currently set to make. This, of course, doesn’t mean he won’t opt out. We’re on the hook for Beardy Mc3rdBase for 6 million next year and 5.25 million in 2011. Just think about that for a minute… On a positive note, we won’t have to pay Schmidt another damn dime!! Unfortunately we still owe Pierre another … sigh … 10 million in 2010 and 8.5 in 2011. I’ve seen a few estimates that put the opening day payroll (assuming Garland stays, no additions, and reasonable assumptions about arbitration outcomes) at about 93 million. This is somewhat disconcerting as we really need at least 1 more top of the rotation starter and perhaps an upgrade at second (assuming Dewitt or Hu don’t suddenly take a step forward). I’d also be open to signing a real 3rd baseman and converting Blake into an expensive ass pinch hitter. I imagine I’m getting a little ahead of things here, but I wonder where our money is best spent?
Comment by John Clevenger— October 22, 2009 #
I think Manny’s back 100%, and obviously guys like Kemp, Ethier, etc are too. They just don’t have signed deals at the moment.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— October 22, 2009 #
Last night ESPN had an srticle in their rumors that said Beltre may come back to 3rd. I think at this point it is much more rumor that anything based on fact, but who knows. Also, San Diego is leaning o the red sox guy for GM so we Get to keep NG.
Comment by gillbert— October 22, 2009 #
Hey first time posting here but, I just want to thank MSTI for another great year. My favorite Dodger website by far!
Comment by Dean— October 22, 2009 #
The Dodgers gave us another good year. First verse being better than the second but they did trounce the Cards in the NLDS which was fun.
And its good to see no one beating themselves up over losing to a team with so much talent across the board.
Here’s to 2009 (snorts LA logo shaped line) WOOOOOT! Let’s sign some kick ass free agents! Yeah! Wait… I fell asleep reading the free agent list. After Jason Bay, Matt Holiday and Brian Roberts its just a bunch of old men and Mark Prior.
Lets toilet paper Bill Plashke’s house and then go to a Clippers game!
Great job Michael. Can’t wait to hear you poop on Silly Billy Plachke’s comments on the Dodger’s moves this winter. Hasta la goddamn pasta.
Comment by The Ringer— October 22, 2009 #
Roberts isn’t a FA this year, Wilson. He signed a 4 year deal with the Orioles before this season.
Let’s drink until we can’t feel feelings on Saturday.
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— October 22, 2009 #
You have a great site and i enjoyed it all year, thanks MSTI! – i think the Philly’s can beat the Yank’s, but dont know if ill watch.
Comment by Scott— October 22, 2009 #
2.5 things that killed the Dodgers this series. This is by no means ALL of them, but a couple that stood out to me.
1. Casey Blake. He just did not have it. Was he hurt? Doubt it, but he is old so maybe. He just repeatedly did not come through in the clutch. As a matter of fact, I don’t recall him ever hitting a ball in the air.
2. Torre’s insistence on playing Belliard. At the beginning of the playoffs, he was the hot hand (kinda). He hit well, but since O-Dog didn’t play at all, hard to know how he was playing. Belliard tied up game two vs the Cardinals, but after that went way down hill. Hudson was a spark plug early, playing for a new contract, let him play. At the very least, up 6-4 in game 4, put him in for defense in the 6th inning. His bat won’t be so much worse than Belliard to lose that game, whereas defense will win it. Thought Torre would for sure, but he left Belliard in and he blew that double play. It didn’t lead directly to runs, but a double play there quiets the crowd and frustrates the Phillies.
2.5 I make this a .5 because people like to dismiss it so quickly, but it played a huge part. Umpiring. The entire postseason, every series, has been marred by terrible umpiring. This series was killed by strike zones, which repeatedly favored Phillies pitchers. Kershaw had about 9 square inches to pitch to in game 1, and yes, a veteran will get over that, but Kershaw is 21. He walked Ryan Howard despite actually striking him out twice. Howard was treated like Ty Cobb this series; if he looked at it, it was a ball. Ron Darling acknowledged the terrible strike zones but called them consistent, and I don’t buy it. The umpiring the entire postseason made a mockery of the game.
Random notes:
Chad deserved that start instead of Kuroda.
I wish the Phillies and their fans weren’t such… well, I was going to be nice, but they’re assholes.
Shane Victorino looks like Steve Buscemi.
Jayson Werth looks like Edge from WWE.
Ryan Howard’s nose takes up half of his face.
God I hate the Phillies…
I kind of wish we’d lost to the Cardinals.
Oh well, here comes the offseason.
Great season guys, MSTI rules, go Spurs, go Bears.
Comment by Justin— October 22, 2009 #
“I wish the Phillies and their fans weren’t such… well, I was going to be nice, but they’re assholes.”
Ok, I’m a Dodger fan and I agree that it hurt to lose to the Phils, but there is a difference between being “assholes” and passionate. An argument could easily be made that Dodger fans tend to be bigger assholes than most baseball fans. Have you ever sat in the bleacher seats? It is hilarious, but I wouldn’t regard those fans as the paragon of class and sportsmanship.
Comment by Barney— October 22, 2009 #
Best Dodger blog by far. Particularly when you point out the ridiculousness of the LA/nationwide media. Thanks for being one of my daily go-tos. You’re not a blind homer, but you’re clearly passionate. You point out truly bad moves, but don’t spend each day taking a dump on everyone and everything like Dodger Blues does (albeit hilariously).
Is it Spring Training yet?
Comment by Tom— October 22, 2009 #
Man, this blog totally BLOWS!!!!
HAHAH, just kidding MSTI. Great stuff as always, one of my regular Dodger stops on the internet. Can’t wait for the Hot Stove to get started. Screw the Yankees and Phillies.
Comment by Shmolnick— October 22, 2009 #
Not to go over stuff that’s now over, but in the 8th with the bases loaded i would have taken out blake and pitched hit Pierre or Thome. They needed runs and you knew blake wasn’t going to get it done. He did good with all the fouls but in the end it was the same as his bats have been all post season. I also agree that Odog should have got a start, if for no other reason than to change stuff up. oh well, on the the off season. Should be exciting with the divorce, and Neddy running without fear of keeping his job (for now anyway).
Thanks for the blog MSTI you have kept me occupied when i should have been doing homework and busy at work.
Comment by gillbert— October 22, 2009 #
If I’m not mistaken Pierre had already been used (I think – I don’t care enough to go back and verify) and Thome was on deck to hit for the pitcher if Blake got on.
Anything I can do to help corrupt the youth of America!
Comment by Mike Scioscia's tragic illness— October 22, 2009 #
The amazing community of Dodger blogs is great for all us fans and MSTI is consistently one of the best. Great work this year! Can’t wait for hot stove season and for some deconstructions of Plaschke’s articles when he inevitably calls for Billingsley to be to traded for Aaron Rowand.
Just to add on to a comment above, I really can’t help but wonder if Fangraphs was right when they said Torre’s faith in Belliard would hurt us in the end. Belliard did fine in 31 ABs with a 381 OPB but virtually no slugging to speak of. Maybe Hudson would have hit a couple more doubles or played a better defense.
That being said, that kind of second guessing can go on all day and we’d never really get anywhere. Hard not to think about it though.
Comment by gklarsen— October 22, 2009 #
Correction: That was 21 PAs, not 31 ABs.
Comment by gklarsen— October 22, 2009 #
It was a great season. Watching Broxton, Kemp & Ethier emerge as high-caliber players was awesome. How fun were those walkoffs? How great was it to nearly reclaim “Game Over” in the 7th inning once Kuo got healthy? This team left all of us with a boatload of great memories. I took my wife to our first game together, we watched Kershaw throw bullets at the Braves, Striking out ten in 7 stellar shutout innings… and we even got on the Jumbotron! (as my wife put it “Tom Hanks saw us!” — he was also on the jumbotron)
Next year… Next year… I think we see CK1(TM) and Bills win 15+ games each. I see Ned coming up with a big deal. Unfortunately… it’s going to involve one of them. My prediction: Halladay will be a Dodger before the deadline. We couldn’t get the deal done this year. It will get done next year, which worries me because we’ll give up too much to get him. But, it’s going to happen.
We need to improve at 2nd and 3rd… hope that Martin returns to previous season’s form… and hope we see Loney add a little more pop to his game.
That’s all. It’s a dissapointing end to a great year, but one I will look back on fondly, and MSTI, I’ll still be checking in every day, to be sure.
Comment by Vegas Blue— October 22, 2009 #