Kershaw might be the biggest choker in the history of baseball

[rageous]

2.44 ERA in the regular season.

3.78 NLDS

4.61 NLCS

5.40 WS

As you can see the numbers get much worse as the situation becomes greater.

He had countless chances to make up for past failures and it gets worse and worse.

For someone that is considered as the best pitcher in the current generation, he keeps constantly failing in the big moment.

[Pancake Bear]

Part of the issue might be usually in those games he’s on short rest, which usually makes your stuff worse (see JV yesterday). I don’t think Kershaw’s issues can be solely attributed to that, though. Worth noting he has had good outings in big playoff games, so it’s hard to say it’s just him being unable to handle the pressure. Hard to argue that it’s just really bizarre sample size luck. But it might be a combination of that and not rested. Corbin had the same issue the other night. 

[ScottT]

Lame.

You really cant count that high?

[Tank]

at the rate he's going in the playoffs, we're gonna need a thread like this for bellinger sooner rather than later.

 

[Lou]

7 minutes ago, rageous said:

2.44 ERA in the regular season.

3.78 NLDS

4.61 NLCS

5.40 WS

As you can see the numbers get much worse as the situation becomes greater.

He had countless chances to make up for past failures and it gets worse and worse.

For someone that is considered as the best pitcher in the current generation, he keeps constantly failing in the big moment.

it gets worse.

5.77 era in elimination games. 

[Section517]

[ScottT]

It's crazy how much blame pitchers and managers get

Cody Bellinger was 4 for 19 with 2 runs and 0 rbi.

I'm sure I could go on. Look up past years.  I'm sure I'll find that Robert's and Kershaw get more than their fair share of the blame.  

 

[PattyD22]

Just now, ScottT said:

It's crazy how much blame pitchers and managers get

Cody Bellinger was 4 for 19 with 2 runs and 0 rbi.

I'm sure I could go on. Look up past years.  I'm sure I'll find that Robert's and Kershaw get more than their fair share of the blame.  

 

Exactly.  Several Dodgers didn’t show up in the series.  Another:

AJ Pollock.  0-13 with 11 K’s.  Now that’s some sucktitude right there

[Reveille1984]

Their young guns didn't do f*** all, even outside of Kershaw choking again.  Smith, Bellinger, and Seager were invisible.  Pollock didn't help matters either.

[angelsnationtalk]

3 minutes ago, ScottT said:

It's crazy how much blame pitchers and managers get

Cody Bellinger was 4 for 19 with 2 runs and 0 rbi.

I'm sure I could go on. Look up past years.  I'm sure I'll find that Robert's and Kershaw get more than their fair share of the blame.  

 

And you’re right, but when you have a 3-1 lead and you bring a pitcher in that career-wish isn’t good in the playoffs, the league knows and was previously announced that he’d pitch tonight then you have to look at decisions being made. I’m sure the Nationals couldn’t wait until Kershaw came in. And once Kelly walked the first batter they should have brought Jansen in. He’s the closer. So yes, certain batters were terrible, but the managerial choices were extremely costly.

[ten ocho recon scout]

In Bellingers defense, any hitter really, youre facing top tier pitching at this point. Not making excuses for him or anyone else, but its a bit more understandable.

Kershaw though.... its not a small sample size.

Based on the numbers rageous and Lou listed, hes Rocky in the regular season, then goes from rocky 2 to rocky 5 as the games get bigger.

[failos]

I love it

[Angel Oracle]

Pollock might as well be Timmy Lupus or Oglivie.

Howie Jack Clark

Jack Clark Kendrick

Joe Kelly Niedenfuer

Tom Joe Kelly

[Docwaukee]

Bellinger had a .562 ops in 7 playoff series over the last 3 years before tonight.  That's in 141 PA with 50k.  

[ukyah]

1 hour ago, Sean-Regan said:

Part of the issue might be usually in those games he’s on short rest, which usually makes your stuff worse (see JV yesterday). I don’t think Kershaw’s issues can be solely attributed to that, though. Worth noting he has had good outings in big playoff games, so it’s hard to say it’s just him being unable to handle the pressure. Hard to argue that it’s just really bizarre sample size luck. But it might be a combination of that and not rested. Corbin had the same issue the other night. 

he's pitched  a full season of postseason innings. the sample size reason/excuse is over. it just is, what it is.

i don't know if it's been updated tonight, but he's got 158 innings of postseason pitching accumulated.

[Pancake Bear]

1 minute ago, ukyah said:

he's pitched  a full season of postseason innings. the sample size reason/excuse is over. it just is, what it is.

i don't know if it's been updated tonight, but he's got 158 innings of postseason pitching accumulated.

I said that. 

“Hard to argue that it’s just really bizarre sample size luck.”

You don’t make the major leagues if you wilt under pressure. It’s not possible to have a career that way. I’ll allow he doesn’t rise to the moment like some guys seem to, but when considering fatigue and really good offenses opposing you (everyone in October has a good offense), it might explain why he’s ranged from rarely good, to mostly mediocre, to sometimes bad. 

[ukyah]

Just now, Sean-Regan said:

I said that. 

“Hard to argue that it’s just really bizarre sample size luck.”

You don’t make the major leagues if you wilt under pressure. It’s not possible to have a career that way. I’ll allow he doesn’t rise to the moment like some guys seem to, but when considering fatigue and really good offenses opposing you (everyone in October has a good offense), it might explain why he’s ranged from rarely good, to mostly mediocre, to sometimes bad. 

i guess i read that wrong.

my opinion is that the regular season is long, and it behooves the player to remain calm and sights set on the marathon.

i think the post season is short and it benefits the player who can hyper focus. some can do both, but i think most can't. also, there's the elements of match ups, luck, etc.

 

[cysomeawfulpitcher]

[yk9001]

My math says the Dodgers went 27 outs without scoring a run.

[Blarg]

8 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

In Bellingers defense, any hitter really, youre facing top tier pitching at this point. Not making excuses for him or anyone else, but its a bit more understandable.

Kershaw though.... its not a small sample size.

Based on the numbers rageous and Lou listed, hes Rocky in the regular season, then goes from rocky 2 to rocky 5 as the games get bigger Bullwinkle in the post season.

Simplified. 

[T.G.]

The Nationals were just the better team.  Let's give credit, where credit is due.

Baseball is a humbling game.

I'd still take Kershaw on my team any day.

[ScottT]

Hard to find anyone crediting the Nationals outside of DC

So much talk of blame, choking, etc. The Nationals are a very talented team

[meat]

27 minutes ago, ScottT said:

Hard to find anyone crediting the Nationals outside of DC

So much talk of blame, choking, etc. The Nationals are a very talented team

and without Harper must make it even sweeter for that organization.  I'd assume they can keep Rendon now with the money they almost wasted on Bryce.

[Claude]

They ran into a Buzzsaw. 

 

[tomsred]

I give the Nationals a lot of credit.  The pitch to Rendon was a pretty good one, he just went down and got it, the guy is a fantastic hitter.  The one to Soto was a mistake, and he didn't miss it.  The pitch to Kendrick was a middle in fastball at 97 mph.  That was a veteran home run.  Putting Kelley into that position was a managing mistake though.  After they loaded the basses on him, he was far too shaky for that situation.  The mere fact that the Nationals never gave in and were fearless resulted in that win.