clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

The best Dodger moments from this postseason

If you're wondering why there are 6 clips instead of a round number like 5, it's because they all merited a mention

Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Hey, did you hear that the Dodgers got knocked out of the playoffs? It didn't really get a lot of coverage in the baseball media, so this might come as a surprise to you, but it's true! Now, I don't like to overdo the Dodger schadenfreude, because I like to deploy it sparingly, like for when the Dodgers get eliminated from the postseason, or for when the Dodgers don't make the postseason, or for when a Dodger does something funny, or for when there's not really a lot going on, or for when I feel like it. You know, the really important times.

And hey, whaddya know, look at that first one. The Dodgers just got eliminated from the postseason, so I guess I better break the glass case and deploy the fire extinguisher of giddiness. It's not like I have a choice here. These opportunities come along only so often.

Game 1, Daniel Murphy Home Run

David Wright had a 2-RBI single later in the game that was technically more "important" to the outcome, but this was the funnier moment because it was yet another chapter in Clayton Kershaw Sure Does Suck In The Playoffs Huh, which is one of my favorite books. Don't get me wrong: the entire premise is silly, it's not especially well-written, and there are several chapters that cause even the most ardent fan to wince at the pain of intellectual dishonesty, but you know who really hates it? Dodger fans. And that makes it a great book.

You might be surprised to learn that Daniel Murphy will show up again on this list.

Unhittible Jeurys Familia

I like it when the Dodgers make outs, and they made nothing but outs against Jeurys Familia, and I liked that.

Game 3, Yoenis Cespedes Home Run

Remember when the Dodgers traded Hector Olivera, Paco Rodriguez, and minor leaguers for Alex Wood, Mat Latos, Luis Avilan, Jose Peraza, Bronson Arroyo's contract (and arm, technically), Jim Johnson, and Michael Morse? That trade does not seem to have made Los Angeles a better team, as seen here through the lens of CESPEDES HIT BALL FAR. This was one of Alex Wood's multiple bad pitches on the night, and Alex Wood was one of the Dodgers' multiple bad pitchers on the night, and this was one of the Dodgers' multiple losses in the series. And the best way to appreciate it is by watching Yoenis Cespedes hit a ball super, super far. It's fun! You should probably watch it again.

Game 1, Jacob DeGrom Strikeouts

He just made them look so bad! That's not really their fault, because Jacob DeGrom, when he's on, is an unhittable pitching god, but on the other hand, he made them look so bad. Ethier had one of those pathetic Joey-Votto-against-Javier-Lopez swings in the 4th, and Adrian Gonzalez had no chance against his changeup, and Joc Pederson looked so bad on his strikeout, it's like we were watching Joc Pederson. DeGrom just had filthy, filthy stuff, and he made the Dodgers, THE MOST EXPENSIVE TEAM IN BASEBALL HISTORY DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT BUT IT'S TRUE, look like stupid jerks.

Game 5, Daniel Murphy Home Run

Why, hello again, Daniel Murphy. After the Dodgers won game 4 behind the best pitcher on the planet pitching very well – quelle surprise! – they came back to Dodger Stadium needing to win a game with the likely NL Cy Young winner on the mound. And with the game tied late – and we'll discuss that in a moment – Zack Greinke pitched to Golden Hitting God Daniel Murphy, threw a fastball where he didn't want to throw a fastball, and gave up the winning run. Sorry your aces keep losing in the playoffs, Dodgers. It's probably their own fault. But don't worry – throwing money at David Price will definitely fix that problem.

Game 5, Daniel Murphy Takes Third

Statcast makes our lives better in so many ways. Just look at the stats in this video! It took Murphy 3.92 seconds to get from second to third. His maximum speed was 18.9 miles per hour. When Murphy reached third, the closest Dodger was 21.6 feet away. The Mets' odds of winning the game went from 42% before the steal to 97% afterwards. Corey Seager slapped himself on the head 18 times in 6.2 seconds after the play. Zack Greinke fantasized about starting forest fires 59% more often over the next hour than he normally would have. I don't know how they got all that information!

Okay, it's . . . possible that not all of those statistics are "things found in the video" or "facts." But they don't need to be true for you to enjoy this clip. Just after this happened, Travis d'Arnaud hit a game-tying sacrifice fly, and LA wouldn't score again. The Dodgers did something embarrassingly stupid, and that was a massive part of the Mets knocking them out of the playoffs. Read that sentence. Love that sentence. It's a beautiful thing.