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Dodgers Weekend Showdown: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

By Nate Eckert

SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 17: Shortstop Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tries to put a tag on Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners at second base during the third inning of a game at Safeco Field on August 17, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. Haniger was safe on the play after second baseman Brian Dozier #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a pop fly in short right field. The Dodgers won the game 11-1. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - AUGUST 17: Shortstop Manny Machado #8 of the Los Angeles Dodgers tries to put a tag on Mitch Haniger #17 of the Seattle Mariners at second base during the third inning of a game at Safeco Field on August 17, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. Haniger was safe on the play after second baseman Brian Dozier #6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a pop fly in short right field. The Dodgers won the game 11-1. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 01: Relief pitcher Dylan Floro #51 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches in the tenth inning during the MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium on August 1, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers defeated the Brewers 6-4. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Rich “Richie” Hill has been one of the most steady hands the Dodgers have relied on since he returned from the DL. Game 2 got away from him initially, however, as Rich Hill does, he took the 4 runs given up in the 1st on the chin, got back up, and pitched his way through 6 innings of (from that point forward) scoreless baseball.

By the time his start was over, he managed to leave his team in a position to win. This was a vintage Rich Hill start; he pitched like he always does, like a pro. Though there was trouble to begin, he kept his composure (somehow) and brought his team back to life.

The elephant on the diamond is, of course, Floro’s balk-off heard ‘round Los Angeles. Allow me to say a couple of things regarding the infamous balk-off. 

Justin Turner, Max Muncy, and Cody Bellinger all took the seemingly indestructible setup-man/closer duo, otherwise known as Alex Colomé and Edwin Diaz, deep and in Bellinger’s case, real deep.

Until that night the M’s were a whopping sixty and zero with the lead and entering the 9th. Bellinger’s shot above the Hit it Here Cafe at Safeco was, at the very least, inspired.

All of the HR’s late were. Beating those two relievers was/is the type of moment that propels teams into their destined futures. A moment that we’ve all been waiting for.

A moment like that can captivate a team, and turn them from simply a team of players into a galvanized brotherhood of champions. All championship teams, in any sport, have this moment. Pre-balk-off could’ve been our moment. Instead, we were embarrassed and ashamed.

Yes, umpires should never end a game with a decision dependent upon them and them alone, however, Floro did balk and the Dodgers were left to pick up the pieces.  

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