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LAD beats TB 8-3 (LAD Leads World Series 1-0)
Today’s Pitching Matchup
TB: Tyler Glasnow, RHP. Age: 27. Annual Salary: $2 million
LAD: Clayton Kershaw, LHP. Age: 32. Average Annual Salary: $31 million
This World Series is truly a Moneyball Series, with the dirt poor team being the Rays. The Dodgers have twice the payroll budget as the Rays. Clayton Kershaw gets paid $31 million per year, which is equivalent to the payroll for the entire Rays pitching staff of 13 pitchers.
One of my favorite parts of any World Series is seeing the American League pitchers bat. Stepping into the box, you’d think they just walked into a street full of traffic. They either look terrified or just dazed and confused. Most AL pitchers won’t even swing the bat out of fear of getting injured. Even bunting can be a dangerous endeavor. But alas, the MLB made an exception this season to allow both AL and NL to use Designated Hitters, so we won’t get to see this spectacle anytime soon.
This game started off so promising as a true pitcher’s duel: Glasnow vs Kershaw. Glasnow and Kershaw both put up 8 K’s, but Kershaw ended up going 6 complete whereas Glasnow only lasted 4 ⅓. Despite striking out 8 batters, Glasnow had clear control issues and walked 6 batters. He kept throwing 100 mph fastballs right into the dirt. I’m not sure where he wanted those balls to end up, but they were nowhere near the plate.
Like many others, I was amazed that the Rays let Glasnow stay in the game as long as he did. Even at the beginning of the 5th, he was already at 86 pitches and had given up a 2-run homer to Cody B. Tampa Bay was down 2-1, so a Win was unlikely for Tyler even if he finished the 5th. I’m not sure why Kevin Cash didn’t call to the bullpen sooner. Everything indeed fell apart for the Rays in that Bottom 5. After allowing 2 runs, Glasnow was replaced by Yarbrough, but Yarbrough ended up letting Glasnow’s 2 remaining runners score anyways. Glasnow ended the day with an ERA-ruining 6 earned runs.
Tyler looked like Batman today on the mound. Before every pitch, he tucked his glove up under his chin and the black glove covered his nose and mouth. This left only his eyes visible as he stared down into the batter’s box. He's had issues tipping his pitches in the past, so I think this setup helped him hide his pitches. Tyler is the hero Tampa Bay deserves, but not the one it needs right now.
All World Series games are on Fox, so we all have to listen to Joe Buck and team make commentary. Today, the most excited Joe Buck ever got was announcing that Mookie Betts’ stolen base won America free Taco Bell tacos. He was wholeheartedly elated by this. My conclusion is that Joe Buck really loves tacos and only mildly enjoys announcing baseball.
About the Author
Bonnie Young runs the Amplified blog. She shares her insights on market trends from US to Asia and interviews founders shaking up the tech scene. She has been passionate about baseball since the age of 13 and regularly attended A's games before the pandemic. Bonnie is currently looking for a growth equity or VC role in the Bay Area. You can reach her at bonnieyoung@berkeley.edu
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