Mookie Betts hit .227 in these playoffs.

[Remote]

And he is well deserving of the regular season MVP award

But let that be a reminder to you all.
Sample sizes matter.
21 games don't encapsulate Betts' abilities.

The same is to be said about many of the Dodgers who struggled.

Stop with these wild clutch/choker narratives.
Over time all players regress to their mean.

 

[Derek Lee]

Kimbrel got a pass for his awful postseason, too, because of lucky circumstances. In nine games, he allowed 7 ER including 2 HRs and 8 walks in 10.2 IP. 6/6 in save opportunities and finished with an ERA barely under 6 and WHIP over 1.5. fukk Boston

 

[FaTaL]

When u have teammates to pick up your lack of production hook them up with plenty of free dinners

 

[yseJ]

just FYI, clayton kershaw has 152 career postseason innings, which is very close to his average regular innings pitched per year over the span of 3 last years (149,175,161)
he has 1) a losing record 2) 4.32 ERA 3) 1.3 HR9 in the postseason while his career regular season numbers are .689 win %, 2.39 ERA and 0.6 HR9

basically, at no stretch of 150 innings of any regular season past his rookie year, has kershaw been more awful than in postseason play

this aint small sample size any more...

 

[Remote]

just FYI, clayton kershaw has 152 career postseason innings, which is very close to his average regular innings pitched per year over the span of 3 last years (149,175,161)
he has 1) a losing record 2) 4.32 ERA 3) 1.3 HR9 in the postseason while his career regular season numbers are .689 win %, 2.39 ERA and 0.6 HR9

basically, at no stretch of 150 innings of any regular season past his rookie year, has kershaw been more awful than in postseason play

this aint small sample size any more...

4.32 is not what I would consider awful. But it is a stretch from his typical numbers.

I would expect those numbers to inch closer to his career averages over time. Not exactly, since postseason play does feature better teams and by extension better hitting. But closer

 

[wire28]

just FYI, clayton kershaw has 152 career postseason innings, which is very close to his average regular innings pitched per year over the span of 3 last years (149,175,161)
he has 1) a losing record 2) 4.32 ERA 3) 1.3 HR9 in the postseason while his career regular season numbers are .689 win %, 2.39 ERA and 0.6 HR9

basically, at no stretch of 150 innings of any regular season past his rookie year, has kershaw been more awful than in postseason play

this aint small sample size any more...

Of course this is with the understanding that would be saying lil Koufax has an entire season of playing against the best in baseball, right? Anybody playing against the best every day would have worse numbers

 

[Remote]

The notable thing about @yseJ post is how elevated Kershaw's HR rate is in the postseason.

That, maybe more than anything is behind a lot of his struggles. And HR rates typically don't remain above average for long.

The guy is at a 0.6 for his career, but 1.3 in postseason play. That certainly will regress, assuming Kershaw has more opportunities

 

[Trojan 24]

This is partly why leaning heavily on analytics can back fire in the post season. There's isn't enough at bats/innings pitched for players to always produce the way they did over 162

 

[yseJ]

Of course this is with the understanding that would be saying lil Koufax has an entire season of playing against the best in baseball, right? Anybody playing against the best every day would have worse numbers

no one expects his postseason stats to be BETTER. but the problem is how MUCH worse the stats are compared to his regular season averages

also Im pretty sure Madison Bumgarner has much better stats in the postseason than in regular season, while playing against the best

 

[Professor K.]

World Series MVP Steve fukkin Pearce

 

[Remote]

This is partly why leaning heavily on analytics can back fire in the post season. There's isn't enough at bats/innings pitched for players to always produce the way they did over 162

It doesn't quite work that way
Analytics is what led the Red Sox to build the roster they had.

Over 162 games you can generally rely on the models to get you to a certain position. In their case, it was the playoffs and a division title.

Once you're talking about 7 game series, the long term metrics have little use but that does not mean there aren't other metrics that are helpful. And it doesn't mean you drop them all to go with your gut.

...although sometimes gutsy unconventional moves work out.

 

[Trojan 24]

It doesn't quite work that way
Analytics is what led the Red Sox to build the roster they had.

Over 162 games you can generally rely on the models to get you to a certain position. In their case, it was the playoffs and a division title.

Once you're talking about 7 game series, the long term metrics have little use but that does not mean there aren't other metrics that are helpful. And it doesn't mean you drop them all to go with your gut.

...although sometimes gutsy unconventional moves work out.

That's why I said heavily, like playing Kike against lefties when he's been absolute trash

 

[Bilz]

The way people define "clutch" has always been horribly flawed.

Even with a guy like Kershaw who has a very clear dropoff in postseason play, there has to be a better explanation than "he choked". Like there should be evidence that he loses velocity, misses locations, throws more pitches up in the zone, etc once the playoffs start. That stuff really could indicate nervousness, lack of concentration, etc but it takes a lot more than just looking at results and assuming all other factors are constant.

 

[yseJ]

The way people define "clutch" has always been horribly flawed.

Even with a guy like Kershaw who has a very clear dropoff in postseason play, there has to be a better explanation than "he choked". Like there should be evidence that he loses velocity, misses locations, throws more pitches up in the zone, etc once the playoffs start. That stuff really could indicate nervousness, lack of concentration, etc but it takes a lot more than just looking at results and assuming all other factors are constant.

that I agree with

 

[NYC Rebel]

Kimbrel got a pass for his awful postseason, too, because of lucky circumstances. In nine games, he allowed 7 ER including 2 HRs and 8 walks in 10.2 IP. 6/6 in save opportunities and finished with an ERA barely under 6 and WHIP over 1.5. fukk Boston

Sanchez was a few feet away.