Dodgers: Dave Roberts Shares Frustration with Lack of Offense in 16-Inning Marathon
Commissioner Rob Manfred has placed an emphasis on pace of play in recent seasons with the hope of shortening the length of games as a whole. It doesn’t seem that the Dodgers and Padres received the memo.
In what turned into a 16-inning marathon, the Dodgers escaped with a 5-3 victory after what was either a fantastic display of clutch pitching or a terrible display of situational hitting on both sides (hint: it’s more of the latter).
Even with a runner starting on 2nd base in each inning after the 9th, it wasn’t until the 15th inning that either team was able to scratch across a run. After the game, Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts expressed his frustration with the lack of offense, acknowledging that the hitters didn’t need to be reminded of their failure to score runs.
It was pretty frustrating, but no one [was] more frustrated than the hitters themselves. We got pitches that we should’ve handled, and we just didn’t execute when we needed to.
The lack of production doesn’t only affect the offense, however. With almost a second complete game played after the normal 9 innings, every bullpen pitcher was used to get the win. If Walker Buehler had not gone 6.2 innings himself, who knows how this game would have gone.
There’s certainly a cost as far as the arms we had to use tonight, picking up the pieces for tomorrow. Will Smith is not going to catch tomorrow; we’ll get Austin in there, obviously. So there’s certainly a cost, but I guess the solace is you still found a way to win a game.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, this game counts as one win just like all the others. The Dodgers will be leaving San Diego having at least won the series and ideally with a three-game sweep after tonight’s contest. As tired as these players may be, they all know the task at hand as they continue to chase the San Francisco Giants in the race for the NL West.
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We need to sweep them. They better bring their A game.
At the end of the day Dodgers showed they just can’t handle Snell, a LHP at all. They’ve failed to hit him so far all year. And look out if Dodgers have to face Snell in that one and done WC game.
I can’t avoid commenting on this one….I’m no strategy genius but if Dave would bunt more often, and STOP putting the contact play on with runners on third with less than 2 outs for any runners other than Trea Turner or Chris Taylor, we could score a few more runs. Admittedly, a left handed pitcher like Snell is harder to steal against, but there are also lineup issues that caused some offensive futility (i.e. Bellinger in the lineup because Betts was still hurt). Pollock in the 2 spot would have better speed than Muncy, and has 8 stolen bases, plus his .300 batting average should provide a few more RBI opportunities for the big boys in the middle of the lineup (JT, Betts, Seager, CT, Smith). Okay, rant over! Let’s go Dodgers, and sweep tonight!
The game was brutal to watch. Pop up after pop up.
Automatic-out cody needs to benched. Muncy is swinging at non-strikes. Noticed that ever since Trea Turner joined the team, guys seemed to have regressed I.e. jealous of Turner. Guys check your ego at the door or you’ll Never catch the giants.
All….. swinging for the fences. WTF is the hitting instructor? Is there a hitting philosophy on the club? We all know about Bellingers hitting philosophy.
We sometimes forget their are people that are paid a lot of money to get you out. The other issue is every hitting coach in MLB teaches lifting the ball. The last time anyone hit over 350 was in 2010. The last one to hit over 400 was Ted Williams in 1941.
In am curious about how Roberts will handles this.
You can look at your lineup, idiot—- Bellinger trying to hit LHP.
Roberts should watch our Olympic softball teamwhen they are in extra innings. Those ladies can hit but they still bunt in the ITB. Ask Jessica Mendoza, who played Olympic ball, move the runner over, get them in, then play defense and win the game!