18 May 2009

No-no-no-no-no-no-no-double-drat: Game 39 Unfair Win Shares

Here's my problem:

Name AB R H RBI BB SO
Castro 3 4 2 1 2 1
Pierre 5 2 3 3 1 1
Lorretta 5 2 3 3 1 1

There are three legitimate ( are surprising ) Dodger offensive heroes from yesterday, but at most 2 unfair win shares to distribute to them. Kershaw has to get one for his 7 inning effort, and maybe he even deserves two. That's not going to leave enough for the barons of the bench, Castro, Pierre, and Lorretta. But it's not easy to choose among the three --- especially when Pierre and Lorretta have the exact same box score lines!

I'd better work on the pitching first. I really liked Kershaw's game, but I don't know if I loved it. Strange, yeah? I mean, I loved the potential no-hitter he was brewing. I even got into the whole superstitious don't say "no-hitter" thing, which I usually think is silly, but somehow it felt right yesterday. Maybe it was pre-game nervousness over the Lakers' fate in game 7 against Houston that pushed me into exuberant irrationality. But the no-hit bid was fun, even though it didn't get past the beginning of the eighth. The no-hit bid even exiled the Laker game to the little TV while it lasted. Nothing else could have done that.

Kershaw was dominant for stretches yesterday, but there were also times when he seemed shaky. There were batted balls that could easily have been hits early on. He was wild, especially in the middle innings. It's those four walks that keep me from being too ecstatic for Kershaw's game yesterday. I just have a feeling that Kershaw's performance yesterday could have been a lot different if just a few things didn't go his way early on. That said, he did strike out nine, so maybe I'm being a little too harsh here.

Back to the offense --- I think Castro has to get an unfair win share for his early home run, and because he got on base more than anyone else on the Dodgers. But between Loretta and Pierre, I have no idea. So I'll make it about defense, instead, and give the last share to Pierre based on his great first inning catch to preserve the no-hit bid early on. So Kershaw gets only one unfair win share, which is unfair but that's the way it goes when the offense blows the game open early.

Mota gets a laugher share because it's officially a laugher when Mota pitches two innings and even gets an at bat and I don't mind a bit. Except he didn't actually pitch two innings because of that grand slam he gave up. The rule is you lose the laugher share if you give up a grand slam. Give back the Tommy Lasorda Bobble-belly, Mota. No laugher share for you!

Unfair Win Shares ( Dodgers )

Kershaw -- 1
Pierre -- 1
Castro -- 1

Laugher Share ( Dodgers )

Mota -- 1 vacated

Unfair Loss Shares ( Marlins )

Koronka -- 3

2 comments:

Dave said...

Great title! That sums up yesterday's game to a T.

Griffster said...

I also had the impression that Kershaw's day may have gone way different. Hudson belly-flopped next to second base to save a flare from going into center field even before Pierre flung out his glove to snare a double down the line.

Because of that, I formed the impression that Kershaw was shaky, and to be honest, I didn't even notice the no-no going on until maybe the seventh inning!

It was a road win, though, and it made the difference between a break-even road trip ( a series loss to the Marlins would have been ugh ) and a winning one. I'm content.