Few dodger mind games
something Lester and the Cubs were prepared for, as the Dodgers had talked about Lester’s throwing-to-bases issue more than most any team this season.
“We talked about it in advance,’’ Maddon said. “At the end of the day, if Jonny executes from the mound to the plate, the results are going to be pretty good.”
That was really the bottom line on Thursday night, and as a result, the Cubbies need to win only one of two potential remaining games, both in Chicago, to play in the World Series for the first time since 1945.
It’s far from a done deal, however. The best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, is standing in their way, at least for Game 6, ready to make a start on five days rest — one more than usual.
But the series lead is still a big advantage for the Cubs, so there is bound to be some second-guessing of Roberts and the Dodgers for not using Kershaw in Game 5 here Thursday night on three days rest.
Indeed, it had to be awfully tempting for them to follow the formula that helped them survive against the Nationals in the NLDS and push the envelope with Kershaw.
But you have to think that even their ace has a limit to how far he can be pushed on short rest, so I thought it was the right call, holding him until Game 6.
As Roberts said, “The accumulation of innings was a big factor in the decision.”
Having Kershaw fully rested is important, and he and Rich Hill at least give the Dodgers a chance to still win the series, as unlikely as it seems right now.
And as it turned out, Kenta Maeda didn’t hurt them in Game 5, though Roberts was quick to pull him after 3.2 innings, trailing 1-0.
Ultimately, the Dodgers’ bullpen failed them on this night, but it was only a 3-1 game after seven innings, so the real problem was that LA couldn’t get to Lester, no matter how much the Dodgers tried to get under his skin with the big leads off bases and even the bunt by Pederson.
It’s an amateurish flaw for a pitcher of Lester’s quality, but he has been dealing with it for years, and it barely seems to affect him. nstead he has a reputation as a biggame pitcher, pitching brilliantly in a couple of World Series for the Red Sox, and he is making good on his reputation this October, with an 0.86 ERA in three starts this postseason — two runs in 21 innings.
Hey, it was worth a try by the Dodgers. Or was it? Apparently it’s not a good idea to make Jon Lester mad.
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