Dodgers complain about umpire Dale Scott’s strike zone in Game 3
ST. LOUIS — No fair, slugger Matt Kemp said. Game 3 of the National League Division Series was two against one. The Los Angeles Dodgers against the St. Louis Cardinals and the strike zone of home-plate umpire Dale Scott. It was a common postgame refrain from the Dodgers, who fell 3-1 to the Cardinals on Monday night and trail 2-1 in the series.
The Dodgers got a strong performance from left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, who allowed a run and five his over six innings in his first start since Sept. 12 because of recurring irritation in his shoulder. L.A.’s bats could not match Ryu’s positive results, managing seven hits, a walk and 10 strikeouts.
Kemp, who hit the deciding home run in the Dodgers’ Game 2 victory in Los Angeles, went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in Game 3. And it wasn’t just right-hander John Lackey he was facing, Kemp said, but also a shifting strike zone.
With 28 years of major league experience, Scott is one of the more decorated umps in the league. He’s worked 21 playoff series, including this one, and three World Series.
Dodgers manager Don Mattingly used the word “generous” at least three times in his postgame press conference to describe Scott’s strike zone. When asked about what Cards starter John Lackey was doing right, Mattingly said he worked both sides of the plate well and has a good breaking ball. But also:
“I thought Dale was very generous. We had a lot of guys complaining about the strike zone. And we felt he was really generous. And it puts you in a bind. You keep giving pitches, changing counts. Obviously, you can’t go too far with [criticism of] it. But real generous.”
Do the facts bear out the complaints from Mattingly and Kemp (and others)? Yes and no. This strike zone plot, created by Brooks Baseball, shows that Scott was all over the place all night, regardless of which team:
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It’s possible the Dodgers were shorted, but Kemp’s assertion that it was “two against one” seems hyperbolic. It also doesn’t speak well of Scott’s performance.
Lackey didn’t take the bait when asked about “adapting” to the strike zone.
“I was able to make some big pitches there, early on,” Lackey said.
And he should get credit for a game well pitched — especially with a shifting strike zone.
So what do the Dodgers hope to accomplish by complaining? Well, they’ve planted a thought in the next home-plate umpire’s head that they were treated unfairly in Game 3. Will it have a positive effect for the Dodgers? It all depends on how consistent the next umpire can make his ball-and-strike calls.
As for Game 3, Scott did not appear to have his finest hour. But the Cardinals were playing under similar circumstances. And they made adjustments the Dodgers did not.
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David Brown is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter!
