October 14th, 2013 at 6:00 am 
by Ron Cervenka There is something missing in the Dodgers dugout, something so blatantly obvious that its absence is blinding.
What is it, or rather who is it?
It’s that guy – a team leader; and I don’t have a clue who that guy is because he is nowhere to be found – not yet, at least.
Without exception every successful post-season team has at least one guy who steps up and takes his game to another level. He is that guy who comes up huge in pressure situations time after time, be it in the Division Series, the Championship Series and especially the World Series. He is that guy who rises to the occasion and usually ends up being the series MVP.
Who is that guy for the Dodgers in the 2013 NLCS?
There isn’t one – at least there hasn’t been one through the first two games of the series. That guy is missing in action, it’s as simple as that.
Where is that guy?
In the NLDS that guy was Juan Uribe, with Clayton Kershaw and A.J. Ellis receiving honorable mention. In the 2012 World Series that guy was Pablo Sandoval. In the 2011 NLCS and the World Series that guy was David Freese, and so on… and so on.
But through the first two games of the NLCS that guy has yet to show up for the Dodgers, this in spite of numerous ‘silver platter’ opportunities – none greater than in the 6th inning of Game-2 when the Dodgers had runners on second and third with no outs and then the bases loaded with one out only to have Mark Ellis pop out and Yasiel Puig and Juan Uribe strike out after an intentional walk to Adrian Gonzalez. Talk about a fail… this was a fail of epic proportion and thus far is the defining moment of the series (in addition to Don Mattingly’s equally epic fail in Game-1 when he removed his number one run producer for pinch runner Dee Gordon in the 8th inning of a tied game).
Dodger fans, at least true Dodger fans, have not and will not give up on their team regardless of how dim things may seen right now. But unless someone in the Dodgers dugout steps up and takes charge, the chances of the Dodgers advancing to the 2013 World Series are diminishing with each additional runner left in scoring position, man left on base and flailing strike out on pitches that are way out of the strike zone.
There is one thing you can count on, however. If the Dodgers continue to squander these silver platter opportunities as they did in the first two games, that guy will eventually show up in the Cardinals dugout.
Find that guy, Dodgers… find him right now!
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Somebody has to step up. Unfortunately the well placed plunk of Hanley Ramirez effectively took out our most consistent and dangerous hitter. Thanks Joe Kelly! But then again the hero in these series isn’t always the most obvious choice.
Last night through the first few innings, it looked like Boston was going to go down 2-0 going to Detroit. Boston bats looked horrible from game one through those initial 6 innings and then Big Papi let loose in the 8th. Scherzer didn’t allow a hit until the 6th inning and the BOSOX still had the intestinal fortitude to come back and win after being down 5-0. We need someone to pull through with a little bit of that fortitude!
As I tell my kids, you cannot get down in this game even though the mountain looks big, whether it is a game or a series. Break the game down to its smallest element. Take it pitch by pitch and focus on making each at bat a quality at bat and let the chips fall where they may. Don’t try and get it back on one swing. Plate discipline is important when you are down (Do you hear me Uribe and Puig?). A well-placed single, a sac fly, a timely opposition error, a walk work wonders in that type of game until the Baseball Gods give someone the opportunity to be the hero. It is always unpredictable when you play a game placing a round bat to a round ball!! You never know what will happen. Come on Dodgers! Hang in there!
You couldn’t be more correct. We need that guy – Marco Scutero, David Freese, whomever.
I mentioned before the series pitching is great but the team still has to score some runs. The little guys have to perform and at least one big guy perform like a big guy (Carlos Beltran). Nick Punto played great little guy defense in game 2. My guess was Hanley. I think his plunking has perhaps negated that from happening in the next 4/5 games.
I have been a bit disappointed that AG hasn’t looked better. I know, I know, it’s hard to be “that guy” sitting on the bench. Yasiel is just a wild thing at the plate now. If he could get himself under control he could be “that guy”. Perhaps JU has another moment in him. My guess is the Ellis boys.
For tonight, we need Ryu to be a hero. Maybe just get out of those first few innings without runs. He has been snake-bitten in that first inning.
Who with be “that guy” for #Dodgers? We need a HERO to emerge! @Think_BlueLA http://t.co/yg3T9DblAY
Whoever that guy is he better hurry up.
Gotta agree with you on that one OBF. As they say – time’s a wasting.
My guess is it’s going to be Hanley !!
He was my pre-series guess but not sure about his injury and how it affects his swing.
Hairline fracture to his rib. He’s taking grounders right now.
How often does that happen – hairline fracture to rib on HBP? Doesn’t have to hit long – just hard.
96 MPH, dead-blow hammer to the ribcage.
“Bandages? We don’t need no stinking Bandages!”
You nailed it, Gary – and it has nothing to do with his actual play (which, of course, has been excellent in itself).
With Hanley back in the lineup you could visibly see the attitude and demeanor of the entire team change right before our eyes. They were far more upbeat and confident, and it showed in their overall play – both offensively and defensively. His presence is also demoralizing the the Cardinals, as noted in this morning’s blog article.
Well played, sir. Well played.
Hanley is “that guy”. He has to be a motivator for his team mates with what he is doing.
Andre is definitely suffering but also a motivation for his team mates. I still expect to see him yank one out.