NLCS: Big Gift from the Los Angeles Braintrust in Game One

In a return to the bad old days—late spring and early summer—the Los Angeles Dodgers and their manager, Joe Torre, gifted Game One of the National League Championship Series to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Torre, assisted by his pitching coach, Rick Honeycutt, failed to recognize the blatant signs of fatigue from their starting pitcher, Derek Lowe. Sadly for Dodger fans, this situation is not a new one.

Derek Lowe is a very good pitcher who does not handle negative events very well. In the sixth inning, after an error by the recently returned shortstop Rafael Furcal, Lowe proceeded to allow home runs to two of the next three batters. A two-run lead transformed into a one-run deficit and the scoring in the game had concluded.

Lowe had barely escaped the fifth inning after allowing the eight and ninth-place hitters, Carlos Ruiz and Cole Hamels, to sharply single off him. A flyball to Manny Ramirez by Jimmy Rollins ended the inning, the first flyball off Lowe all game, and a major-league hint.

The Dodger braintrust remained firmly ensconced on their collective backsides and failed to protect the precious lead they had garnered. Sending Lowe back out in the sixth was not wise. Leaving him in after the Utley homer was downright irresponsible.

Waiting for the Phillies to take the lead on Burrell's blast before removing Lowe was a return of Torre to the slow reaction managing style that caused so many losses in the first half of the season.

It was explainable and even understandable as Joe learned his new team. But like a rookie such as Corey Wade or Blake DeWitt, a season's worth of games are under the belt and that excuse no longer holds water.

Even more culpable is Honeycutt, the pitching coach, who has been in his post for three seasons with the Dodgers. Lowe has been one of his charges that entire time. If he still doesn't know how to read a key starting pitcher, one may properly question his ability to perform his duties, in spite of the Dodgers leading the National League in ERA.

Games are won as a team and lost as a team. It is also proper to point to an offense that could only generate two runs the entire game. However, the manager and his coaches primary job is to put the team in the best position to win.

Torre and Honeycutt blew the game between the fifth and sixth innings, particularly in the sixth inning, by allowing the team to fall behind with Lowe on the mound.

The Dodgers must shake off this loss in quick fashion as they have a quick turnaround and play the second game of the NLCS Friday afternoon. Splitting the first two in Philly was the primary objective and is still possible. The margin for error has been already played, victory in the second game is highly advisable if advancement to the World Series is still desired.