NLCS: Almost All the Dodgers Needed 13 Innings to Beat Almost as Many Brewers
There's a cool rule in Little League that stipulates every munchkin on the team's gotta play.
The only remuneration that's ever involved is a possible post-game trip to Dairy Queen or somewhere similar.
It's a bit different in the pros. A good numer of dudes are paid well to cool their jets for an entire game, sometime for days on end.
And they've gotta get their own damn DQ. Or something similar.
And then there are managers like Dave Roberts and Craig Counsell.
Dudes seem to like it better when everyone plays.
Thus, there are no hotfoot or bubblegum pranks in the NLCS dugouts this season.
It's all hands on deck, whether its ...
- a proven post-season performer like David Freese starting and getting pulled after one AB, or
- Gio Gonzalez getting the ball and not seeing the third inning in what was a vanilla outing.
In Game 4, Gonzalez had no choice but to leave after suffering what looked like a sprained ankle in the first inning. When righty Freddy Peralta replaced him, Freese was immediately pulled for left-handed hitter Max Muncy.
Yes, that quick.
Why all the late-inning moves so early? Well ...
- The Dodgers' front office has given Roberts a wealth of talent that he doesn't mind deploying at any time; and
- The Brewers are simply trying to burn a bitta Bums' bench by creating matchup chaos.
This is all well and good, but when a game goes 13 innings, there are MLB-minimums determining a vital post-season game in situations beyond their pay grade:
So, a 2-1 Dodger result, finished by a couple of slingers who, for all we and their teammates know, are in witness protection programs.
Through it all, oh the humanity ...
- The Dodgers struck out a mind-numbing 17 times, closely followed by the Brews' just as stupefying 15 punchies;
Not to mention sabremetrics, and
- The clubs combined for 42 players -- out of a possible 50 -- showing up in the box score.
Yeah. Whacked.
With an afternoon game tomorrow.