I really thought this was our year too. I hadn't believed that much in a Dodgers team ... ever. This really sucks.
I'm with you. Time for big f***ing changes. 1. Get the 4th pitcher we need (Shields comes to mind). 2. Fill our f***ing bullpen for goodness sake. I don't care who, just get them. 3. Trade Ethier. Like him, but he's a distraction and a crutch. 4. Fire Colletti. I don't want to hear any motherf***ing excuses. You have an unlimited payroll and the best bullpen you can come up with just lost us three games in a three game series. Maybe four if you count the fact that we have to force our starters to play too long to compensate for an awful bullpen. 5. Bring in a manager with more experience and more understanding. I don't care who. Just do it.
Heads will roll, I'm sure. I'm almost certain they won't give Hanley his qualifying offer, he will walk. He isn't worth the money he will ask for.
I know. I'm a Giants fan. My comment was sarcasm. Just throwing a little dirt on the rivalry. Dodgers had a great season and a bright future.
Not making excuses, but I'd like our chances a lot more if we were healthy. Losing Angel Pagan and Matt Cain hurts. Hope we steal one of the first two games in St Louis.
Imma ban you @John3:16 for mentioning that team in the Dodgers thread. I agree we need a different manager. Not sure I agree on the GM thing though. I really think we had the players to get it done this year.
We didn't have a bullpen TIME! How can we have had the players to get it done when we realistically need at least 7 innings from all of our starters to get the win? We had no help. The bullpen lost us game one (along with Kershaw, Baez's 3 run homerun was the final killer). Howell gave up a 2 run home-run that almost cost us our one win. Ryu gave us 6 great innings and Elbert lost us the game. Kershaw lost game 4, but maybe if he doesn't NEED to pitch the 7th we don't run in to that problem.
I think our relievers were fine. For instance I would have pitched Howell. Yes, he gave up a big HR, but so did Kershaw. It doesn't mean we should not have gone with Kershaw just because he gave up a dinger. I had more issue with how they were or were not used than with who is in the Pen. For me, it's the general lack of confidence in the big situation that the manager either instills in his staff or fails to instill. For instance I would have been in Wilson's head. How can you leave a 10 million$ pitcher just sitting there like he's afraid to let him on the diamond? That said, I'm all in favor of improving our relievers going forward.
I like Howell, but the fact is he wasn't getting it done. Elbert? Frias? Those guys don't belong on Post-Season rosters. Some of that is Mattingly and some of that is Colletti for not putting together pieces that were good enough to compete with the best teams in baseball. As for Wilson, the guy looks cooked. He struggled all season and despite his claim that he could ramp up to the mid-90s if he wanted to, he only threw in the mid-80s. He didn't have great control and he left pitches over the plate. The one time we used him, he gave up hits. Not good enough. We need more reliable arms.
@therealdeal You're probably more right about the Pen than I am if results show anything. I'll just say I would start with Mattingly.
I'm fine with that too. Get rid of Mattingly. Get rid of our logjam in the outfield. Get rid of Hanley. Get rid of Colletti. Go get another SS if you have to (but we've got a few in the minors already). Go get another pitcher (for Ryu's injuries). Go get bullpen help. Go get a better manager.