Tim Leary pitched 13 years in the big leagues and had a career year in 1988, going 17-11 with a 2.91 ERA in 35 games to help the Dodgers win their last World Series.
Now 58 and living in Santa Monica, Leary served as a guest analyst for the World Series between the Dodgers and Houston Astros with an assist from Times staff writer Mike DiGiovanna.
DiGiovanna: There was speculation Yu Darvish was tipping pitches. Did the Astros have an idea what was coming, or was the Dodgers starter just plain bad?
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Leary: He may have been tipping his pitches, as Alex Bregman stole third on a breaking ball in the first inning, an indication he may have known it was a good pitch to run on.
But Darvish is now a two-pitch pitcher, so even if Houston did have his pitches, he needed to be almost perfect. And give credit to the Astros; they’re a great offensive team.
Darvish didn’t have command of his fastball. He threw it for strikes, but not quality strikes. And his breaking balls were not sharp. They had no bite.
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The 1-and-1 pitch George Springer roped for a double in the first was a hanging slider. The leadoff walk to Brian McCann in the second was a great at-bat, but the 2-1 pitch Marwin Gonzalez lined for a double was another hanging slider that sat in the heart of the plate.
And the full-count fastball Springer hit for a two-run homer in the second was right down the middle. That ball was crushed.
Brandon Morrow was warming in the second when Darvish, with a runner on third, grooved that fastball to Springer, who belted a homer to left-center field for a 5-0 Houston lead. Did manager Dave Roberts stick with Darvish too long?
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No, he had to stick with Darvish since he got two outs in a row on slow rollers to second, and he didn’t want to go to his bullpen too early. And maybe the Dodgers only wanted to use Morrow to get out of an inning because he’s pitched so much in this series.
But I was a little surprised that they didn’t double-switch when they brought Morrow in. They burned Enrique Hernandez, who hit three homers in the National League Championship Series-clinching win over the Chicago Cubs, to hit for Morrow in the bottom of the second.
The question everyone was asking after Darvish’s brutal start: If you thought Clayton Kershaw could throw two or three innings, would the Dodgers have been better off starting the ace and backing him up with Alex Wood, in hopes Wood could get them to their short relievers?
That’s a question for the general manager. They traded for Darvish for a reason. They didn’t trade for him to not pitch. He just struggled.
Could Houston manager A.J. Hinch have handled his bullpen any better?
Clearly, no. A.J. was proactive all night long. He pulled [starter] Lance McCullers Jr. at the right time, and he had a plan to use Charlie Morton for the last four or five innings if needed. Morton is a great starter with top-of-the-rotation stuff.
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, second from left, third baseman Alex Bregman, left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and second baseman Jose Altuve celebrate after beating the Dodgers 5-1.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Houston Astros players run to celebrate with teammates after beating the Dodgers.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houton Astros celebrate with the Commissioner’s Trophy.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Astro players spray champagne in the clubhouse.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ Josh Reddick gets sprayed with champagne after his team defeated the Dodgers.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ Josh Reddick gets sprayed with champagne during the postgame celebration.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers, 5-1, in Game 7 to win their first World Series.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers watch the Astros celebrate their World Series title.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers to win the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times )
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa holds up the flag of Puerto Rico after his team won the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros swarm pitcher Charlie Morton after he held the Dodgers to one run over the last four innings to preserve the win.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Yasiel Puig heads to the outfield in the ninth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers watch their World Series dreams disappear with a 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros in the ninth inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Clayton Kershaw leaves the mound after the top of the third inning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers to win the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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World Series MVP Houston Astros center fielder George Springer, left is hugged by teammates after winning the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa holds the flag of Puerto Rico during the postgame celebration.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann jumps on pitcher Charlie Morton after Morton held the Dodgers to one run over the last four innings.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Augusto Romero, of Granada Hills, left, embraces his girlfriend Lizet Perez, of Sylmar, after Dodgers lost.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Members of the Dodgers watch the Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros outfielders George Springer, right, and Cameron Maybin run in to celebrate with teammates after beating the Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Yasiel Puig shows his frustration after fouling off a pitch in the fifth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Cody Bellinger looks down while standing on first base after a force-out in the fifth inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Tyler Howard, center, of Los Angeles, along with other fans watch Game 7 at the Short Stop in Los Angeles.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Manager Dave Roberts talks with Clayton Kershaw after the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Corey Seager splits his bat while grounding out to end the sixth inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Justin Turner gets hit by a pitch in the third inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kenley Jansen and Austin Barnes talk during a break in the seventh inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers fans react at the Down N Out bar in downtown during Game 7.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
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A frustrated Dodgers fan watches the game in the fifth inning.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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A lone Dodger fan watches the Houston Astros celebrate their 5-1 victory.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig slams his bat into the ground after popping up with two runners on base in the third inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Clayton Kershaw walks off the field after striking out Yuli Gurriel to end the top of the third inning.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Angeles Maurino, center, reacts with Dodgers fans at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles during Game 7.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
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Mescal Miranda, left, of Los Angeles, along with other fans watch Game 7 at the Short Stop in Los Angeles.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Bartender Nate Joyner wears face paint as he watches the game with Dodgers fans at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, right, and center fielder Joc Pederson react after pitcher Yu Darvish was taken out of the game.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish looks down after giving up a double to the Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Orlando Villa, of Los Angeles, reacts as the Houston Astros go up 5-0 in the second inning.
(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, center, and the infield wait for a relief pitcher after starter Yu Darvish was taken out of the game.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish stares into the outfield as George Springer reaches home plate after hitting a 2-run homer to give the Astros a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros right fielder George Springer, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run homer against the Dodgers in the second inning.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ George Springer, second from left, celebrates his two-run home run with Carlos Correa in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ George Springer runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Astros’ George Springer reaches home in front of Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager strikes out in the first inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Enrique Hernandez encourages Yu Darvish in the dugout before the first pitch in Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda arrives to watch Game 7.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers fans Greg Uy watches the Dodgers in the first inning with bases loaded at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles.
(Patrick T. Fallon / For The Times)
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Dodgers fans show concern as the Astros score twice in the first inning of Game 7.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers fans boo the Astros’ Yuli Gurriel in the first inning of Game 7.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Dodgers fan Tim Kell, right, of Rancho Cucamonga, cheers for his second World Series championship game at Dodger Stadium. “This is the ultimate,” Kell said, who attended the 1988 World Series.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Sarah Keh dances to mariachi music in the right field pavilion before game 7 of the World Series.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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A pair of sportscasters stand beside the Commissioner’s Trophy before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Young Dodgers stars Corey Seager, left, and Joc Pederson take batting practice before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans try to get a closer look at players from the corner of left field before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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Astros fans watch their team warm up before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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A Dodgers fan is literally blue in the face before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)
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I think another big thing was [left-hander] Francisco Liriano striking out Cody Bellinger in the eighth inning of Game 6 Tuesday night. That gave Hinch the confidence to bring him in to face Bellinger with two on and one out in the fifth [Wednesday night].
Liriano wasn’t going to pitch at all unless there was a situation like Game 6, when the game got out of hand. The guy was clearly struggling, so the Astros figured, “Let’s give him a shot.”
Liriano got Bellinger to hit into a fielder’s choice. If A.J. doesn’t bring him in, maybe he goes to a right-hander who hangs a pitch, and it’s a different ballgame. That game could have turned on one swing a number of times.
Was the tone for the Dodgers set in the first three innings, when they put seven on but went hitless in seven at-bats with runners in scoring position?
In this ballpark, in damp air, you’re not gonna see many 13-12 games, regardless of what they’ve done with the baseball, so yeah, missed opportunities come back to haunt you.
It looked to me like a few guys were pulling their heads off the ball, swinging a little too hard in a few situations, even when they were just trying to get a guy over.
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Chris Taylor and Justin Turner swung at a few pitches out of the strike zone; we haven’t seen much of that from them. And they pitched Bellinger really tough. McCullers struck him out twice with down-and-in curves, and Morton froze him in the seventh with a curve on the outside corner.
Was Bellinger a little too aggressive in the first, when the first baseman ranged far into the second base hole for Bregman’s slow roller and threw wild to Darvish covering first, allowing Springer to score from second with Houston’s first run?
No, Bellinger did the right thing. He just made a poor throw, which resulted in a two-base error. That decision to go into the four-hole or back to the base to cover is one of the toughest plays for a first baseman, but their instincts are usually to go for the ball.
With runners on second and third and one out in the second, the Dodgers did not bring their infield all the way in with McCullers batting and the slow-footed McCann at third. McCullers hit a dribbler to second that even McCann scored on. Should the infield have been all the way in?
Not necessarily. McCullers took a really good swing on that first pitch that he fouled straight back. At the time, the score was 2-0. I don’t think they can risk a ground ball going through the infield, not in the second inning.
Mike DiGiovanna has been covering Major League Baseball for the Los Angeles Times since 1995 and spent 19 years as the Angels beat writer and two seasons on the Dodgers. He won Associated Press Sports Editors awards for game-story writing in 2001, feature-story writing in 2017 and breaking news in 2019. A native of East Lyme, Conn., and a graduate of Cal State Fullerton, he began writing for The Times in 1981.
