And Kershaw was a base hit away from another disaster last night. Getting that dude stealing home saved his ass. Not confident in Gonsolin going next, but there's no one else. If only David Price was playing!!!
Just as you can say Kershaw was a base hit away from another disaster, you can also point out that Jansen was two inches away from a 1-2-3 inning and a save to put the Dodgers up 3-1.
Glad you brought up the attempted steal of home!
I honestly think that was a great attempt by Margot. Watching that play unfold, you think, "how could they possibly throw him out?" In a postgame interview, Kershaw mentioned that this wasn't the first time someone has tried that against him, so the Dodger first basemen know ahead of time to give Kershaw a heads up so he can do exactly what he did: step off without balking and get the runner at home. It actually wasn't a great throw; it was high and outside, and Austin Barnes did a GREAT job catching the ball (ahem, Will Smith), securing it with two hands, and applying the tag. Of course, a better throw from Kershaw makes the play less close, but if Barnes isn't perfect, Margot scores.
Doing some reading this morning, I learned that Jackie Robinson's famous steal in the 1955 Word Series remains the last successful straight steal of home in a World Series. I also learned that there have been only four other successful steals of home in the WS. In 1951, Monte Irvin of the Giants stole home against Allie Reynolds of the Yankees. This happened during Bobby Thomson's first at-bat following the "shot heard 'round the world" the day before. This was a particularly impressive feat given that Reynolds was a righty, although he did pitch from a wind-up. Prior to that, Bob Meusel and Mike McNally of the Yankees did it in the 1921 WS, and Ty Cobb did it in 1909.
Others have stolen home as part of a double steal The most recent such occurrence was Brad Fullmer of the Angels in 2002. Even noted speedster Tim McCarver did it (in the 1964 WS against the Yankees)!
The most recent UNsuccessful* attempt to steal home on a straight steal was by Lonnie Smith in 1982 with Don Sutton on the mound (like Allie Reynolds, Sutton was a righty throwing out of a wind-up). Billy Martin was caught trying to steal home in the same 1955 game in which Robinson accomplished the feat. I think it was mentioned on the broadcast last night that Shane Mack of the Twins was caught stealing on an unsuccessful suicide squeeze against John Smoltz and the Braves in 1991.
* - Even the 38 year old replays clearly show that Smith was safe.
I think what I'm happiest about (aside from the win, obviously) is that, assuming he doesn't pitch again, Kershaw will finish the Series with a 2-0 record, a 2.31 ERA, 14 strikeouts, and the all-time record for postseason strikeouts (although record is of questionable significance since it was accomplished in an era with three playoff rounds (and even more this year)).**
** - Kershaw has a strikeout rate of 1.095 K/9 IP (207K over 189.0 IP). This rate still puts him ahead of the next five pitchers on the list:
Verlander - 1.092 (205K over 187.2 IP)
Smoltz - 0.952 (199K over 209.0 IP)
Pettitte - 0.661 (183K over 276.2 IP)
Clemens - 0.869 (173K over 199.0 IP)
Among starters, Max Scherzer seems to have the best all-time postseason K9: 1.223 (137K over 112.0 IP).
I couldn't find a list of postseason strikeout leaders that went past #10, so I randomly looked up some older guys to check their rates. Sandy Koufax had 61K over 57.0 postseason IP for a rate of 1.070. Bob Gibson had 92K over 81.0 IP for a rate of 1.136. Whitey Ford had 94K over 146.0 IP for a rate of 0.644.
Among relievers, Aroldis Chapman has a ridiculous rate of 1.500 (62K over 41.1 IP). Mariano Rivera, by contrast, had a rate of 0.780 (110K over 141.0 IP).
Topic: 2022 MLB Thread formerly the 2021 thread.. (Read 73703 times)
