Dodgers Dugout: Rays win Game 2; day off today

Hi, and welcome to another edition of Dodgers Dugout. My name is Houston Mitchell, and I think the Rays got fired up by everybody saying the series was already over.

Some random thoughts on Game 2:

—At least I can wash that lucky shirt now. Some people are tired of hearing about the lucky shirt, which is sad, because the lucky shirt likes everyone.

—Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May seem a little overwhelmed by the postseason environment. All of May’s pitches are up.

—This time, the Rays took advantage of mistakes. If Kiké Hernández doesn’t bobble that ball, the Rays have two fewer runs on the board early.

—Joe Buck has an unhealthy obsession with May’s hair. (Yes, I like picking on Joe Buck).

—Also, I could live without a two-batter recap on how the NFC East is doing this season.

—One reason the Dodger offense is so successful: They make the opposing pitchers throw a lot of pitches. Blake Snell threw 88 pitches in 4.2 innings.

Number of pitches per game seen this postseason by teams that advanced past the first round:

NY Yankees, 164.3

Dodgers, 162.5 (2,112 pitches in 13 games)

Atlanta, 159

San Diego, 157

Houston, 147.9

Tampa Bay, 144.4 (2,166 pitches in 15 games)

Oakland, 143.9

Miami, 140.8

Walks per game in the postseason

NY Yankees, 5.1

Dodgers, 5.0 (65 in 13 games)

Minnesota, 5.0

Cleveland, 4.0

San Diego, 4.0

St. Louis, 4.0

Houston, 3.7

Atlanta, 3.6

Tampa Bay, 3.2 (48 in 15 games)

Oakland, 3.1

Chicago Cubs, 2.5

Cincinnati, 2.5

Miami, 2.4

Chicago White Sox, 2.0

Milwaukee, 2.0

Toronto, 1.5

—So the Dodgers decided to make Game 2 a bullpen game. Should I repeat what I have said all postseason about bullpen games?

—If you are going to carry 15 pitchers on the roster, it seems you should be able to pick between Gonsolin and May and say “You are going to start throughout the postseason.” They are young pitchers and need to have defined roles, especially in the pressure of the playoffs. You should always accentuate the strengths of your pitchers, and not expose their weaknesses. The Dodgers aren’t doing that with Gonsolin or May. Yes, they are professionals and should be ready, but in the real world they are basically rookies learning as they go.

—I realize playing seven NLCS games in seven days threw things off a bit, but still...

—Bullpen games are OK during the regular season, when you want to give your rotation and extra day off during a long season. But in the playoffs, when every game counts, it is basically a self-defeating strategy. They aren’t playing Strat-o-Matic or APBA where the players are just numbers on a card. They are actual people. Computers don’t know that. People running ballclubs should.

—And that goes whether the Dodgers win the next three or not. Don’t give a game away with a “We hope this works” strategy.

—Not much to say about this game. Dodgers got beat, that’s all there is to it.

—No newsletter tomorrow. When the Series rests, the newsletter rests.

—I’m sticking with my prediction: Dodgers in six.

Dodgers ERA’s

Let’s look at some ERA’s this season. ERA doesn’t tell the whole story, especially for relievers, but it tells part of the story.

Julio Urías, 16 IP, 7 hits, 3 walks, 16 strikeouts, 0.63 ERA

Pedro Baez, 5.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 walks, 7 strikeouts, 1.69 ERA

Walker Buehler, 19 IP, 15 hits, 11 walks, 29 strikeouts, 1.89 ERA

Alex Wood, 4.2 IP, 5 hits, 3 walks, 4 strikeouts, 1.93 ERA

Joe Kelly, 3.2 IP, 4 hits, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts, 2.46 ERA

Clayton Kershaw, 25 IP, 18 hits, 3 walks, 31 strikeouts, 2.88 ERA

Kenley Jansen, 5.1 IP, 3 hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts, 3.38 ERA

Jake McGee, 2.2 IP, 4 hits, 1 walks, 4 strikeouts, 3.38 ERA

Victor Gonzalez, 4.2 IP, 5 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts, 3.86 ERA

Blake Treinen, 8.2 IP, 7 hits, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts, 4.15 ERA

Brusdar Graterol, 5.2 IP, 4 hits, 1 walk, 4 strikeouts, 4.76 ERA

Dylan Floro, 5 IP, 5 hits, 1 walks, 6 strikeouts, 5.40 ERA

Tony Gonsolin, 7.2 IP, 6 hits, 7 walks, 9 strikeouts, 9.82 ERA

Adam Kolarek, 2.2 IP, 9 hits, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 16.88 ERA

Dustin May, 9 IP, 9 hits, 6 walks, 11 strikeouts, 5.00 ERA

World Series records

By popular demand, some Dodgers World Series leaders:

Batters

Games
Pee Wee Reese, 44
Carl Furillo, 40
Gil Hodges, 39
Jim Gilliam, 39
Jackie Robinson, 38
Tied for 19th: x-Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor, Austin Barnes, 15

Runs
Jackie Robinson, 22
Duke Snider, 21
Pee Wee Reese, 20
Davey Lopes, 18
Gil Hodges, 15
Jim Gilliam, 15
Tied for 13th: x-Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, 7

Hits
Pee Wee Reese, 46
Duke Snider, 38
Gil Hodges, 35
Carl Furillo, 34
Jackie Robinson, 32
Steve Garvey, 32
16th place: x-Justin Turner, 14

Doubles
Carl Furillo, 9
Duke Snider, 8
Jackie Robinson, 7
x-Justin Turner, 6
Jim Gilliam, 5
Roy Campanella, 5
Billy Cox, 5

Home runs
Duke Snider, 11
Gil Hodges, 5
Davey Lopes, 4
x-Joc Pederson, 4
Roy Campanella, 4
Steve Yeager, 4
Reggie Smith, 4

RBIs
Duke Snider, 26
Gil Hodges, 21
Pee Wee Reese, 16
Ron Cey, 13
Carl Furillo, 13
Tied for 14th: x-Cody Bellinger, 7

Walks
Jim Gilliam, 23
Jackie Robinson, 21
Pee Wee Reese, 18
Gil Hodges, 17
Duke Snider, 13
Carl Furillo, 13
Davey Lopes, 13
10th place: x-Chris Taylor, 9

Strikeouts
Duke Snider, 33
x-Cody Bellinger, 25
Gil Hodges, 22
Roy Campanella, 20
Steve Garvey, 19

Batting average (minimum 20 plate appearances)
Mickey Hatcher, .368
Tommy Davis, .348
Steve Garvey, .344
Pedro Guerrero, .333
Charlie Neal, .323
Billy Cox, .302
Ron Fairly, .300
Steve Yeager, .298
Ivy Olson, .293
Duke Snider, .286
Lou Johnson, .286
Steve Sax, .286
Tied for 50th: x-Max Muncy, .250

Pitchers

Wins
Sandy Koufax, 4
Johnny Podres, 4
Burt Hooton, 3
Don Drysdale, 3
Carl Erskine, Clem Labine, Hugh Casey, Don Sutton, x-Clayton Kershaw, Tony Watson, Preacher Roe, Larry Sherry, Orel Hershiser, 2

Innings
Sandy Koufax, 57
Carl Erskine, 41.2
Don Sutton, 41
Don Drysdale, 39.2
Johnny Podres, 38.2
x-Clayton Kershaw, 32.2

Strikeouts
Sandy Koufax, 61
Don Drysdale, 36
x-Clayton Kershaw, 35
Carl Erskine, 31
Don Sutton, 26

Saves
Clem Labine, 2
Larry Sherry, 2
x-Kenley Jansen, 2
Mike Marshall, Jeff Pfeffer, Bob Welch, Hugh Casey, Ron Perranoski, Steve Howe, Jay Howell, 1

ERA (minimum 18 innings)
Claude Osteen, 0.86
Sherry Smith, 0.89
Sandy Koufax, 0.95
Orel Hershiser, 1.00
Clem Labine, 1.65
Johnny Podres, 2.11
Whit Wyatt, 2.50
Preacher Roe, 2.54
Joe Black, 2.82
Don Drysdale, 2.95
16th: x-Clayton Kershaw, 4.68

x- highest active player

Dodgers-Rays schedule

All times Pacific

Dodgers are home team for Game 1, 2, 6 and 7

All games at Arlington, Texas

Game 1: Dodgers 8, Tampa Bay 3

Game 2: Tampa Bay 6, Dodgers 4

Game 3: Friday, Dodgers (Walker Buehler) vs. Tampa Bay (Charlie Morton), 5 p.m., Fox

Game 4: Saturday, Dodgers (Julio Urías**) vs. Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., Fox

Game 5: Sunday, Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw**) vs. Tampa Bay, 5 p.m., Fox

Game 6*: Tuesday, Tampa Bay vs. Dodgers, 5 p.m., Fox

Game 7*: Wed., Oct. 28, Tampa Bay vs. Dodgers, 5 p.m., Fox

*-if necessary
**-left-handed

In case you missed it

Bill Plaschke: Dodgers’ Game 2 loss looked eerily similar to past World Series failures

Dylan Hernández: Why are Dodgers in control of World Series? Star starters didn’t pitch Game 2

Rays relievers are all about prevention

Photos: Dodgers vs. Rays in Game 2 of the World Series

Young Dodger pitchers set up to fail in ‘out-getter’ role

Home away from home? Dodgers fans outnumber Rays fans at World Series

Dylan Floro goes from forgotten to integral Dodgers’ bullpen piece

And finally

Dodgers beat Red Sox in 18 innings of 2018 World Series Game 3. Watch it here.