LOS ANGELES — Adam Wainwright already is setting off alarms at Dodger Stadium.
The Cardinals ace had barely answered his first question from the media Thursday when a fire alarm began screeching.
“I have this effect on people,” Wainwright said joking.
The alarm continued wailing, and a female voice announced that an emergency was occurring.
“There is smoke in the hallway,” Wainwright said, smiling.
The voice encouraged people to exit the stadium. No one in the interview room budged, and the moderator said the group would be advised if they needed to vacate.
“Yeah, it’s all fun and games until it’s real,” Wainwright cracked.
As more time passed and the sound of the alarm made it impossible for Wainwright to answer questions, he sat calmly.
“Just what I want, more time with the media,” the pitcher said. “Surrounded by my favorite people. Is this live? Because this is good TV.”
A reporter asked Wainwright whether he thought Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw had pulled the alarm.
“It was all a ploy so we could get all the media in here,” Wainwright said. “He wasn’t going to make it, so he pulled the fire alarm.”
Story line
The Dodgers’ $230 million player payroll wasn’t built for May. All of that cash was meant to buy October. Winning the National League West won’t be enough for the big-spending Dodgers. Not with Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77 ERA), soon to be the runaway Cy Young Award winner and likely MVP in the NL, starting in Game 1 against the Cardinals. Zack Greinke (17-8, 2.71), the Dodgers’ highest-paid player at $28 million this season, is set to start Game 2. The Cardinals, though, are October mainstays. They have played in four of the past 10 World Series, winning two. They will counter L.A. with Adam Wainwright (20-9, 2.38) and Lance Lynn (15-10, 2.74).
Spotlight on … Marco Gonzales, Cardinals
The 22-year-old rookie pitcher from Fort Collins made his big-league debut against the Rockies at Coors Field on June 25. After going back to the minors, the Cardinals brought him back for the stretch run as a reliever (he also started again against the Rockies, notching nine strikeouts in a win). He impressed enough to make St. Louis’ postseason roster as one of three lefties in the bullpen. The Dodgers sport a lineup heavy with right-handed hitters. But Gonzales could be called on in a high-pressure role against Dodgers lefty Adrian Gonzalez. Lefties hit only .143 against the rookie.
Nick Groke, The Denver Post
