Still in disbelief

Among all the failings I imagined the Dodgers having this postseason I never ever imagined that Clayton would not put the team on his shoulders. It was the only way this team had a shot. I’m not upset that the Dodgers lost. I can still feel euphoria when they win, but when they lose I just move on. I am upset that Clayton has to have this on his shoulders all winter long. He’s the greatest Dodger of my lifetime, for him I wanted this postseason legacy. You become a legend because of your actions, at this moment, Clayton is a regular season legend, but his postseason legacy will have to wait another year. Eric Stephen tweeted that this will be the saddest MVP presentation since Dirk in 2007. Sadly this is true. Many will write of everything Clayton did this regular season but it will all feel hollow.

The Dodgers had Clayton Kershaw  to start game one on a ton of rest in a five game series. That meant the best pitcher in baseball was going to make two starts if needed.

That should have been enough.  Many excuses are going to be laid out blaming the Dodger bullpen for Clayton’s collapse in the 7th inning of both games he started.  The bullpen is indeed a problem, but in these games, Clayton Kershaw needs to go seven full innings. Seven. Not 6 2/3 not 6 1/3. Seven. That is why he is the regular season MVP and Cy Young. Because he got a team with a crappy bullpen either to the 9th or 8th or simply shook hands with the catcher.  He did it all year, eighteen of his last twenty starts he went a full seven.  He needed to do that two times. He didn’t.

And that is why the Dodgers are going home. Not because of a suspect bullpen. Not because of an offense that didn’t score enough runs. But because the best player in baseball was not the best player in baseball for the full seven innings that he needed to be.

That is why the Tigers are going home. They acquired David Price for one reason. To be able to out pitch the Bud Norris’s of the world. He did not.

That is why Oakland could not even get into the Division series. He was acquired to win the big game. He could not.

It happens. Dodger fans need to man up and not make excuses for their man not doing what he needed to do. You can bet Clayton is not making excuses, why should his fans?