Let’s play the ‘What If’ game.

What if it had been Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood who had started Game-7 of the 2017 World Series instead of ill-fated right-hander Yu Darvish, who ended up losing both of his World Series starts?

There’s no way Alex Wood could have started Game-7 after having pitched only four days earlier in Game-4, you say?

If you truly believe this, then I say you’re wrong. Here’s why:

Let’s first look at Darvish’s World Series numbers, as painful as they may be. In his Game-3 start, the 31-year-old Habikino, Japan native allowed four runs (all earned) on six hits (including a home run) with one walk and zero strikeouts in his 1.2 innings of work. In his second start of Game-7, the single most important game for the Dodgers in 29 years, Darvish allowed five runs (four earned) on three hits (including a home run and an RBI double) with one walk and zero strikeouts in his 1.2 innings of work.

There was no margin for error, especially in Game-7, and it was abundantly clear that Darvish simply did not have in either game. As such, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts dropped the biggest ball of his life by allowing the 6′-5″ / 220-pound right-hander to stay in either game for as long as he did. Then again, when your offense gives you zero runs of support in your combined 3.1 innings of work, you certainly can’t lay the entire blame on Darvish or Roberts.

In his combined 3.1 innings pitched in the 2017 World Series, Darvish allowed nine runs (eight earned) on nine hits (including two home runs ), while walking two and striking out none.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

By comparison, in his start of Game-4 of the World Series, Alex Wood allowed one run on one hit (albeit a solo home run by Astros outfielder George Springer), while walking two and striking out three in his 5.2 innings pitched. He faced a total of 19 batters and made a total of 84 pitches before Dodgers manager Dave Roberts pulled him with two outs in the top of the 6th inning and the Dodgers trailing 1-0. In his Game-7 relief appearance, the (then) 26-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native pitched 2.0 perfect innings, allowing no runs or hits while striking out three of the six total batters he faced, and did so on 25 pitches.

In other words Alex Wood made a combined 109 pitches over a combined 7.2 innings pitched, whereas Darvish made a combined 96 pitches over a combined 3.1 innings pitched; and it’s difficult to argue that 7.2 total innings pitched and 109 total pitches made overtaxed Wood in what may end up being the only World Series appearance of his career, although we all certainly hope that it isn’t.

Simply put, the Dodgers started the wrong guy in Game-7.

Granted, you can argue that starting seven consecutive left-handers in the biggest series of the entire baseball season is just plain nuts, but check this out: all four of the Dodgers 2017 World Series losses were charged to right-handers – Brandon McCarthy in relief of Rich Hill in Game-2, Darvish in Game-3, closer Kenley Jansen in Game-5, and Darvish in Game-7.

The difference, of course, is that Wood pitched exceptionally well against the combined 19 Astros batters that he faced (stay for that solo home run by Springer), whereas Darvish just plain sucked against the combined 22 batters that he faced.

But, alas, what’s done is done, and it does absolutely no good whatsoever to cry over spilled milk regardless of how painful it is / was.

Enter Alex Wood – version 2018.

In a word, Wood’s second start of the spring against the defending American League Central Division champion Cleveland Indians on Thursday evening was brilliant. Utilizing his new no-wind-up delivery, the extremely polite 6′-4″ / 215-pound lefty allowed no runs and only two hits while striking out five and walking none in his 4.0 innings of work.

“You just want to see progress each time,” Wood said, after the Dodgers 4-1 win over the Tribe on Thursday. “I thought, for the most part, I commanded all three [pitches] tonight. I pulled some fastballs throughout the course of my four innings. Everything’s starting to get crisper and I’m starting to feel more and more confident each time out.”

Everyone is making a big deal over Alex Wood pitching exclusively out of a stretch instead of a full wind-up. Everyone except Alex Wood, that is (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Through his three spring training starts thus far, Wood is 2-0 with a 4.91 ERA over his combined 7.1 innings of work. He has allowed four runs on six hits, while walking three and striking out nine.

Crisper indeed.

The bottom line is that effectiveness trumps handedness – or at least it should – when deciding who should be in the Dodgers 2018 starting rotation – period.