Grandal’s woes worsen
Struggling catcher surrenders starting role for Game 4
LOS ANGELES — When the Dodger Stadium crowd wasn’t booing Yasmani Grandal or chanting his backup’s name, the fans largely sat in a disappointed hush while the Brewers’ pitching staff mowed down their team.
The Dodgers’ miserable Monday night only got more intriguing after the Brewers’ 4-0 victory in Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, when Enrique Hernandez wondered aloud why his team and its fans didn’t come to play.
“We had no energy,” the Los Angeles second baseman said. “The stadium had no energy. The fans had no energy. Overall, it was a pretty bad game for everybody who calls themselves Dodgers.”
Hernandez tweeted a statement Tuesday claiming his comments were taken out of context. He said he was “really frustrated” following the loss. He added he thinks Dodgers fans “are the best fans in baseball.”
The Dodgers fell behind Monday after three batters and never caught up during their first home game of the NLCS. The Dodgers went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position, struck out 14 times and managed just five hits.
This comprehensively frustrating evening required an outlet, and Grandal is wearing a target during his miserable postseason. Dodger Stadium, normally a cauldron of excitement in October, had little to cheer and plenty to lament.
After Grandal committed his third passed ball of the series in the eighth inning, a portion of the crowd chanted “We want Austin!” in a call for the catcher’s unsung backup, Austin Barnes.
And when Grandal struck out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, Chavez Ravine was filled with boos.
“I don’t really hear the noise outside,” Grandal said. “I value my opinion way over anyone else, so that’s what keeps me sane.”
“He’s trying his best,” Hernandez said of his teammate. “Catchers have a lot going on. The game revolves around them. They’ve got to call every pitch. They’re involved in every situation in the game . ... He’s been one of the best catchers in the game for a while now. He’s having a little bit of a rough patch, which we all as humans, as baseball players, go through.
“It’s just bad timing.” Manager Dave Roberts started Barnes in place of Grandal for Game 4 on Tuesday.
“(Grandal) had a tough night, and obviously the fans voiced their opinion,” Roberts said after Monday’s loss. “And they’re passionate. They want to win. They want the best out of all of us, especially in the postseason. So I know it’s not personal. They were just as frustrated as we all were.”