LOS ANGELES – The plan is to slow down, be in the moment and go out and win a baseball game.
That’s the mindset that the team, the manager and everyone has around the Phillies organization as they prepared to stave off elimination in Game Three of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday.
Everyone said the right thing, believes in it, and now must execute. Patience being a key part of it all.
“I think it’s just seeing pitches,” said Rob Thomson. “Stay as long as you can. We want to be aggressive in the zone. You just can’t be over aggressive where we’re chasing. Instead of trying harder you trust harder in this situation. You trust that your teammates are going to get it done so you pass the baton. Just keep the line moving as best you can.”
That hasn’t been easy, especially at the top of the order where Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have combined to go 2-for-21 with 11 strikeouts. There has to be something done there in order for the Phillies to last another day.
“Like I said before the series started, nothing matters other than winning and losing,” said Turner. “You have to find ways, even on your worst day or you don’t feel your best, to compete, add value and make plays. I think we have a lineup of those guys.”
Perhaps, but they certainly haven’t shown much in this series yet. Thomson decided on going with Aaron Nola to start in Los Angeles, a surprising move being that Ranger Suárez hasn’t been called upon yet in the first two games. Suárez will be ready to come out of the bullpen whenever Thomson sees fit.
“He knows what the plan is,” Thomson said of Nola. As for Suárez, the manager said: “He is healthy. It’s been a couple days (since he’s been on the mound). I don’t even concern myself with rest for him. I think he’s been fine. His numbers the last month aren’t Ranger- type numbers, but I don’t think that’s from fatigue. I’d love him to start a clean inning, but I would never say never (as for Suárez coming in during an inning).”
Thomson also had to adjust his lineup as centerfielder Harrison Bader just wasn’t feeling well enough from his hamstring strain to man the outfield. He is available to pinch-hit, but whether he can run the bases is a game-time decision.
“Same situation,” Thomson said. “He is getting better but he doesn’t feel like he can cover the gap. “
Still, with all that, it comes down to what has been stated over and over since Monday’s loss – stay in the moment and win one pitch at a time.
“Because I’ve been through this a couple of times, I think you really have to focus, stay in the moment,” Thomson reiterated. “Focus on today. We don’t need to win three games; we need to win one. If you focus so much on the result, you forget what’s going on in the moment. Just stay calm and loose and be yourselves.
With the top of the order searching for something to get the team started offensively, had Thomson thought of tinkering, as he has with the bottom of the order throughout the season?
“I don’t think so, just because at any moment those guys can just break out,” he said. “We’ve seen it too many times. I trust that they’re going to do it.”
In Dodger starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Thomson sees similarities to another starter for Los Angeles.
“I would say if he’s similar to anybody it would be Ohtani because it’s power fastball, it’s really good split, uses the cutter against the lefties,” Thomson said. “We just got to keep him in the strike zone.
“You’ve got to try and stay positive and just try and push the right buttons and have the team prepared and I think we have. We’ve had a couple of tight games here. Hopefully, we can score a bunch of runs tonight and we shut them down.”
We’ll see.
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