LOS ANGELES – In desperate times, the Dodgers like to call on Tommy Lasorda.
He's their eternal optimist, a man who sees only blue skies, never gray. And right now, the Dodgers need any help they can get.
Down two games to none to the St. Louis Cardinals in their National League Championship Series and uncertain about the status of shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers are searching for some good cheer. That's where Lasorda comes in.
The former Dodgers manager has reminded the team that it has been in this kind of hole before – twice, in fact, in 1981 when he managed the team. They rallied to beat the Houston Astros in the division series, then defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series after being down 2-0 both times.
"We've got a great guy in Tommy, who's reminding us of what he did with his team," outfielder Andre Ethier said Sunday. "He told us how they got behind and came back and went on to win the World Series. This team's been counted out a lot this year. We've been counted out and told we couldn't get it done, but we figured out a way.
"So we definitely have it in ourselves, and we proved that."
If the Dodgers indeed can come back, they may have to do it without Ramirez or Ethier, both of whom remain questionable for Game 3 at Dodger Stadium on Monday afternoon.
Ramirez had a CT scan on his left ribcage Sunday, but the results were not in by the early afternoon. Ethier isn't sure his sore left ankle will allow him to cover ground in center field.
After hitting just .184 in the first two games of the best-of-seven series and going 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position, the Dodgers need the kind of offensive charge Ramirez can give them. He sat out Saturday's 1-0 loss after being hit on the left side by a pitch from Cardinals starter Joe Kelly in Game 1.
"Even if it's cracked or something, I'm going to be able to get out there if we can take the pain away," Ramirez said. "We're just working on the pain to take it away so I can go. It's an uncomfortable injury, but I'm going to try to deal with it."
Manager Don Mattingly said the Dodgers won't make that decision until they find out the results of the CT scan and then see if Ramirez can swing a bat. Until then, they say he's iffy.
"No matter how much Hanley wants to play, there are certain things you're not going to be able to play with," Mattingly said. "You've got to be able to swing the bat.
"I know Hanley wants to play. He keeps continuing to tell me that he's going to play, but that can only go so far. He's got to be able to play."
The same goes for Ethier, who sat out Game 2 after playing virtually all of Friday's 13-inning game. He said he's able to run the bases, but he's sore and concerned about his ability to play defensively.
"I'm not sure," he said of his status. "We haven't made that decision. We have to get to that point where it's not a question mark on the defensive side."
If the Dodgers don't rebound from their offensive woes, they may need a pitching performance from starter Hyun-Jin Ryu that matches Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, who were nothing short of magnificent. But he'll be facing the Cardinals' ace, Adam Wainwright, who won both his starts with a 1.13 ERA in the division series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ryu struggled in his lone division start, pitching just three innings against the Braves and giving up four runs. There was concern that Ryu might be injured, but he dismissed that notion again Sunday.
"I feel really strong," he said. "There is no reason my arm isn't in good, top shape right now."
To Mattingly, Ryu's poor start was just a case of nerves and pitch location.
"I think Hyun‑Jin's biggest thing is going to be fastball location," he said. "When he's pitching off of that and getting his fastball in that downhill plane, he's been effective against everybody. But if he's not locating the fastball, he's not a power pitcher from the standpoint of the high 90s or anything."
If that doesn't happen, not even Lasorda will be able to save the Dodgers from a 3-0 hole. But they remain hopeful.
"This is a very confident group inside this clubhouse, a very tight-knit group," infielder Nick Punto said. "Inside the clubhouse right now it's extremely loose, and we feel like we're about to break out."
