Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Dave Roberts Brings In Clayton Kershaw for Nightmare Relief Appearance

In the top of the 7th inning, Clayton Kershaw was called upon to relieve their young ace, Walker Buehler, who threw a career high in pitches.

With 3 pitches, Kershaw was able to strike out Adam Eaton, but it wasn’t until the 8th inning when the true drama started. Anthony Rendon unleashes a solo shot to make the game 3-2 and then Juan Soto smashes a 450 ft bomb to the right field pavilions to tie it up at 3-3



 

 

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31 Comments

  1. This is gonna be a long, long offseason for the Dodgers, this team is built for the regular season but not the playoffs. The signings of Joe Kelly, AJ Pollock, extension to Kershaw have all backfired – with Kelly and Kershaw both responsible for Game 5 loss. Pollock 0 for 13 struck out 11 times in this series.

    Also, TBS just echoed the same sentiments after the game – “Cody Bellinger and Corey Seager unable to produce timely hits”. This duo may not be the right core moving forward. Dodgers FO must face the reality that Cody Bellinger will never, ever come through in the playoffs.

    It’s been a nice seven year run for the Dodgers, but after all, the entire run was just a tease to Dodgers fans.

    1. They destroy the season and do well in the playoffs but Kershaw does not do well under pressure. He is not a pressure pitcher. Who ever made that call last night sorely messed up. All I could say when he was in the bullpen was “Do not put Kershaw in, do not put Kershaw in” I have dealt with the emotional ups and downs of the past years with the dodgers and I know how they perform very well. I am once again frustrated and annoyed that they haven’t figured out their pitching in the playoffs and world series games.

  2. Series also proves Dave Roberts just can’t manage a ball game. Maeda has been lights out all series and you don’t bring him in first , then don’t just leave him in. Joe Kelly should have never been out there in 10th. Eventually dodgers will learn kershaw is not the savior stop trotting him out there. Hard to say blow a 100 win team up but some drastic changes need to happen.

    1. Pedro Martinez on TBS was jumping all over Dave Roberts just now. He said Roberts told everyone before the game that Kershaw was coming in to reliefe Walker Buehler: 1. why would Roberts tip his hands to the opponent so obviuos before the game? 2. Martinez said Kershaw had been exposed by the entire league, every team knew how to prepare for him. Adding that Kershaw threw a 90, 91 mph fastball to the two best hitters, he was gonna get hit no matter what. Martinez was really getting at Dave Roberts’ case said this manager has no surprises, all his moves were so predictable.

      Gary Sheffield on TBS also added the entire regular season the Dodgers won games with Kershaw starting, they never won any games with Kersahw come in to relieve. But also TBS mentioned why did Roberts leave Joe Kelly in the game for 2 innings when the entire season Kelly was never asked to pitch more than one inning.

      Of course now it’s easy to to criticize all the bad moves Dave Roberts made, but this game should have been won if Roberts brought in Kenta Maeda before Kershaw, he already had Maeda warming up in the bullpen then decided to make a fancy move by bringing Kershaw in. We see that time and time again, in pressure situation Dave Roberts tends to lose his common sense. Every year, 2017, 2018, and now 2019.

      1. SMH! Damn Dodgers! Let’s start the off season tomorrow with firing Dave Roberts. Proved again he’s clueless in the playoffs.

        We need some solid base hitters , tired of homerun or nothing. We need some guys that string along hits.

        This series felt like time and time again Seager came up with runners in scoring position and just choked.

      2. Dave Roberts worst manager ever. Kershaw should have never pitched in this game. It’s not his fault that Roberts is a bumbling idiot and mismanaged away championship again. Fire this clown shoes please. #notkershawsfault #fireroberts

      3. I concur. But we, Dodgers fans, had been questioning Roberts /FO decisions throughout the entire regular season. The elephant in the room (that had the air sucked out of it) can definitely leave now. This was painful….but Walker Buehler is the one whom I feel for. Buehler came determined and ready to give it his all (as did Muncey, Hernandez and Maeda.) But for poor management, this Game 5 was Buehler’s. I was not that surprised to see Kershaw make a relief appearance (especially since it was announced beforehand.) I simply believed that after he successfully ended the 7th inning with 3 pitches, his night was done. I expected Maeda to come in during the 8th as well as the “Soto specialist.” For all intent and purpose, our season was already over in the 8th;but, I did not anticipate that, to add insult to injury, Pollack would be up to bat in the 10th (post-Howie grandslam) to strike out for the 14th or 15th time. That was, in effect, “throwing in the towel.” Hopefully, our Dodgers’ franchise can make relevant changes before the San Diego Padres come at us. This game result was the upset of the post-season, thus far. But at least we did not lose a third consecutive world series….sigh.

  3. My support of Kershaw has lessened each year but now it’s reached rock bottom and it’s time to move on from him if at all possible. And at $31 million for each of the next 2 years it won’t be easy to move him. As soon as I saw him enter the game I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and what happened was all too predictable. Very disappointed in Bellinger and Seager. Does Seager ever NOT swing at the first pitch? He seems to be in an 0-1 hole every AB. But I’m not ready to give up on either yet because they’re young. Kelly killed us in a Red Sox uniform last year and in a Dodgers uniform this year. He is proof positive to NEVER sign a relief pitcher for more than 1 year. Time’s up for Jansen too. His worst season and at his age he’s not going to do a 180. Say goodbye to Hill too. I’m hoping that the FO will go hard after Gerritt Cole to start with. With the early exit, that is the signal for change. A very sad and disappointing finish to such a promising season.

    1. Agree. If they can somehow land Gerritt Cole that would be amazing.

      Keep Buehler, Gonsolin, and May (Urias maybe). The rest of the pitching staff needs a total makeover. Get some young arms, you can’t win the World Series with a bunch of 30+ year old pitchers. Trade Corey Seager, Matt Beaty and Yadier Alvarez to the White Sox for Michael Kopech.

      Hill – Gone
      Ryu – Gone (he’ll leave for a big contract elsewhere)
      Kershaw – Gone (but how? so much for Friedman’s moneyball)
      Kelly – Gone
      Stripling – Gone
      Jansen – Gone
      Baez – Gone

      Between Kershaw, Jansen, and Kelly the Dodgers will have to eat a lot of wasted salary. But without dominant pitching this team will go nowhere.

      1. Michael Kopech? Huh? A guy who has pitched one season (2018) and had an era of 5.02? Is he your brother? Seager is 25 and has not even hit is prime. He did suck in the playoffs, but at least get real value for him. Why dump Baez? He is not a bad set-up man. How about we try and land someone like Gerrit Cole and a lockdown RP to go along with some contact hitters who are not afraid to bunt runners into scoring position? How about a new manager and, perhaps a new GM? Just wondering.

        1. Michael Kopech had 5.02 ERA in his first year (2018) in the majors after Tommy John surgery. His 30% strike out ratio was the highest amongst all first year starting pitchers. His 60% strike zone is also the highest amongst all first year starting pitchers.

          In comparison Walker Buehler had 7.71 ERA in his first year (2017) in the majors after Tommy John surgery.

          Kopech is a more elite prospect than Buehler (he’s got 4 pitches with an even more dominant fastball). So how did Buehler turn out?

  4. Equal blame to go around. How many strikeouts did the Dodgers have? RISP left on base? Come on, from the World Series in 2018, the Dodgers needed to focus on contact and not being so locked in on the HR.
    In 2017 the Dodgers blew the game. Here, we got beat. We locked in on 106 wins.
    In 2002 Seattle had 116 wins and lost in the ALCS.

  5. Gary Sheffield just hit the nail on the head, at 10:35 PM on TBS, Sheffield made a comment:

    “The Dodgers didn’t get the memo that everyone else got. Clayton Kershaw is not the same pitcher he was in his prime. Dave Roberts went on thinking this was the Clayton Kershaw of old, that the entire league was afraid of; instead of using his bullpen to play the match ups (Kolarek against Soto?), Roberts wanted to show off his old ace in pressure situation.” ENOUGH SAID.

  6. Hey, Roberts just said he liked Kershaw in the 8th. Hey, Roberts just said he liked Kelly in the 10th. You know what we fans would like? Joe Maddon or Bruce Bochy or just about any other manager from a Division 2 college team to the ghost of Walter Alston in the dugout instead of the trio of Roberts/Geren/Friedman next year.

    At least Kershaw throws a mean fantasy football draft. And why do they keep saying he’s getting a statue out front of the stadium? I thought statues were reserved for players with World Series rings. Just a thought.

  7. “HEY SEAGER! YOU’VE GOT TWO STRIKES ON YOU! THEY’RE GOING TO THROW A CURVE BALL UNDER YOUR HANDS. EVERY TIME!”

  8. Robert should be the manager of the year for the most blunders , Sure they say we can sit in our chair and be a manager , come on the field , it’s a lot harder !! well it isn’t when it’s happening all year the same thing and he just proved it again Kershaw Was a great picture and appreciate all that he has done he hasn’t had it in a while nor Kelly we can pick and pick and see why we lost but we know why well .Wait till next year.Oh by the way (thank you )front office making the deals we needed to make ,stick to your analytics also , why didn’t you use them tonight ? I may be pouting I’m so tired nothing ever changing start using Common Sense !!! From Managerial to the front office. If you have any , you should have started Kenley Jansen . Good luck Washington .

  9. Just back from the game. very disappointed in Roberts and his call to put Kershaw in when he did.and then Joe Kelly sigh . a total bad call on Roberts part. and it cost us the game. Im really proud of Buehler he pitched so well, Seager I think seemed a bit anxious thru the last five games.. and had a rough time up at bat,. but he had an overall good year. prior to post season. and was hitting runs.fairly often. least we all forget. if the blame belongs anywhere its with Roberts and his bad call of Kershaw and Joe Kelly. in tonights game. I honesty think the outcome of the game would of went in our favor if not for these mistakes. unfortunately it cost us.everything

  10. Thank you, first time long time

    As a baseball fan, I need to vent…

    Blame game:

    1. Roberts/Front office, who’s making the call
    2. Kershaw
    3. The idiots that took out Bryan Stow, rendering the dodgers cursed for….whenever
    4. Seager/Bellinger hitting woes
    5. No faith in bullpen, whose fault is that
    6. Trump/-Obama
    7. Schiff/McConnell
    8.Joe Kelly
    9. China/Russia, what week is it
    10.Aroldis Chapman, would’ve been a dodger but gunplay to solve a problem with his girl screwed that up and went back to Yankees after Steinbrenner said no problem, Ol George been friggin dead for a few years and still madeThe call!
    11. Callers to Dave Vasseghs show on AM570

    Darvish/Verlander choice, an inappropriate but possibly unfunny/ funny #metoo joke and a tony gonsolin cat reference could be included, but I think we get the point

    Off to listen to music now…

    George Jones, Adele, Sade, Beethoven, N,W.A…..probably in that order

    Thanks guys for letting me vent….

  11. Dave Roberts worst manager ever. Kershaw should have never pitched in this game. It’s not his fault that Roberts is a bumbling idiot and mismanaged away championship again. Fire this clown shoes please. #notkershawsfault #fireroberts

  12. Someone please tell me that Kershaw is not returning in 2020 a nd also not for $33 million. Mattingly walked away from his contract after game 5 loss in 2015. Anyone think Roberts might do the same?

  13. That was painful. But Buehler came ready and gave it his all. He is the one I really feel for. What was that? 115 pitches and we were 2 up at the top of the 7th. Honestly, I was not upset when Roberts brought Kershaw into the game to end the inning. Kershaw needed to get the one out and I figured he could do that. I thought….alright, good job….Kershaw made his (very announced) appearance….now on to Maeda. I did not believe for a second that Roberts would bring Kershaw back out for the 8th. After Rendon, that should have been a wrap and Kershaw should have been replaced by our “Soto specialist.” But “should have” did not happen. Its true, Kelly was a disaster in the 10th, but to me, the damage was already done. Still, I did ask myself why Pollack was brought in to strike out for the umpteenth time? Anyways….special shout outs to Buehler, Hernandez, Muncey, and Maeda for really bringing it. Like all of you, I still love our Dodgers and we’ll move on to “next year” a bit earlier (and without losing a third consecutive world series.) And the problems that we, as Dodgers fans, have discussed ALL season can no longer be ignored. Our loss last night is the upset of the post-season, thus far. The elephant in the room (where the air has been completely sucked out) can definitely leave now.

  14. Should have used Julio Urias. He can bring heat at 95-96, great breaking stuff, and is a fierce competitor… I hope he’s in the starting rotation next year. Roberts should have known about the October Kershaw Curse…. Time for a new manager…

  15. Thank you Clayton Kershaw for being a Dodger for your career. ALL THESE IDIOTS don’t understand that you got this team in the playoffs your whole career. I was there in1988 when Gibson hit the home run .That was the greatest feeling I ever had but you pitching gives me the same feeling. THANK YOU FOR BEING A DODGER .EVERYONE ELSE CAN KISS MY ASS.

  16. If Kershaw pitching in the playoffs gives you the same feeling as Gibson having one of the all time World Series at bats I suggest you change your medication.

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