Dodgers: Marathon Showdown Has Roberts Changing Tune on Padres ‘Rivalry’ Talk
I’d say that didn’t last long, but I’d be lying after Friday-night-into-Saturday-morning’s marathon between the Dodgers and the Padres. Before the game last night, Corey Seager and Dave Roberts were careful with the wording as they tap-danced around questions about a rivalry brewing in San Diego.
Seager offered up that it was just like any other game against a division opponent and has no more weight than that. While Roberts added that all the hype is good for baseball and good for fans, “I’m not gonna make too much out of one game or one series.”
But after 12 innings, 17 total pitchers, and multiple lead changes in a loud Petco Park down in San Diego, a tired Doc changed his tune.
I’m very hesitant to get ahead of things, but it was like a playoff game. It was. They deployed a lot of guys, we deployed a lot of guys. The intensity was there. … The crowd was great. I’m just spent emotionally.
The final score was 11-6, but it was a much closer game than that all night long. Each side had timely hits, sloppy play, and key heroes step up when the moment called for them. The game also featured a bench-clearing incident after an unintentional hit by pitch in the 10th inning that winning pitcher David Price thought was the moment the matchup officially became a rivalry.
Nobody wanted to lose that game… this is a fun rivalry to be a part of. … especially more so after the benches cleared. I was thinking that out in the bullpen, all rivalries in baseball are good, but once you get that first bench clearing, that’s when it goes to that next level.
The two weary teams match up again tonight with Clayton Kershaw on the bump for LA facing off against former teammate Yu Darvish in a marquee pitcher’s duel. One where both teams need length out of their starters.
NEXT: Why the Dodgers & Padres Can’t Stand Each Other! Best Bad Blood Moments From Budding Rivalry!
It is said that these three games count just as much as the last three times these two teams face off this year. We do need to keep in mind, however, that there are 19 head-to-head matchups this whole season, which means this weekend only accounts for 15.8 percent of the season series. Still, the Padres slipped farther into third place. Even if the Dodgers lose the next two, (unlikely) the Blue will remain in first. If L.A. wins the next two, San Diego slides farther… Go Dodgers!!!
Kershaw acting all tough. Wonder if Roberts took exception to that. Roberts looked like the biggest fool!Who is crying now? Can’t believed I even liked the Dodgers at one point. Pathetic
The Padres have several babies on their team and apparently quite a few for fans, too. Padres dish it out but can’t take it. Look at ME! Pay attention to ME!
You earn respect by acting like big leaguers. Profar was pure bush league. Kerhsaw is a future Hall of Famer…with a World Series ring.
I’m glad the Padres are good enough to give the Dodgers some competition. The Dodgers have been beating NL west opponents like a drum for years now. Is there a Dodger Padre rivalry now? Not really. The Padres are just another team to beat. All Dodger opponents are speed bumps on the road to back to back championships.
it was a truly great fun game. They were right describing it as exhausting in a good reason they play way. As fan it was really feeling like a playoff game. I think it was the uncertainty if maybe they Pads had really caught up. Not quite but these guys are good and come that season ending series they might just have jellied & matured into a playoff team making getting past them harder.
One thing tell myself is even if Dodgers sweep them of win 10 or 12 of the games, in ’88 the Mets owned the Dodgers during regular season winning 10 games in dominating fashion. Yet come their playoff series the Dodgers got it done thanks to team work, Tommy & a group of stuntmen. So Dodgers hopefully won’t forget that lesson.