Did the Dodgers outsmart themselves right out of a title?

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Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud runs to celebrate with teammates after Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick struck out to end Game 5 of the National League division series on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud, left, and closer Jeurys Familia celebrate after recording the final out against the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom jumps into the arms of catcher Travis d’Arnaud and closer Jeurys Familia (27) after beating the Dodgers, 3-2, to win the National League division series.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Rookie shortstop Corey Seager collects his bats as he leaves the dugout after the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Mets, 3-2, in Game 5 on Thursday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Despondant Dodgers, including pitcher Clayton Kershaw, watch as the Mets celebrate their series-clinching 3-2 win in Game 5 of the NLDS.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier is consoled by actor Albert Brooks as he leaves the dugout following a 3-2 loss to the Mets.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Manager Don Mattingly congratulates Mets Manager Terry Collins after the Dodgers were eliminated from the playoffs Thursday night.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy celebrates in the locker room with teamates after defeating the Dodgers in the deciding Game 5 of the National League division series.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig, center, watches along with other teammates as the Mets finish off a 3-2 win in Game 5 of the NLDS on Oct. 15.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Players and fans react after Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis struck out in Game 5 to leave L.A. down to its last out.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager reacts after striking out in the seventh inning of Game 5.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers reliever Chris Hatcher threw a scoreless eighth inning against the Mets in GAme 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers starter Zack Greinke is removed from Game 5 after 6 2/3 innings by Manager Don Mattingly.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick bobbles a grounder hit by Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson in the seventh inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy hits the go-ahead home run against Dodgers starter Zack Greinke in the sixth inning of Game 5 on Thursday night at Dodger Stadium.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers starter Zack Greinke reacts after giving up the go-ahead home run to Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy in the sixth inning of Game 5.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a solo home run against the Dodgers in the sixth inning of Game 5.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets coaches and players greet Daniel Murphy after he hit a solo home run off Dodgers starter Zack Greinke to break a tie in the sixth inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier tosses his bat after popping out against the Mets in the fifth inning of Game 5.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Pitcher Zack Greinke breaks toward third base as Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy alertly steals third base against the Dodgers’ shifted infield in the fourth inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers starter Zack Greinke reacts after Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy steals third base in the fourth inning of Game 5.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy (28) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the tying run against hte Dodgers in the fourth inning of Game 5.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner celebrates with first base coach Davey Lopes after delivering a run-scoring single against the Mets in the first inning of Game 5.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez celebrates after scoring a run on Andre Ethier’s hit against the Mets in the first inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager (5) gets high-fives as he arrives at the dugout after scoring the team’s first run in Game 5.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers left fielder Enrique Hernandez (14) misplays a ball hit over the head of center fielder Joc Pederson (31) in the first inning. Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy ended up with a run-scoring triple on the play.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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LODodgers second baseman Howie Kendrick is safe at first base as the Mets’ Lucas Duda jumps to catch a throw from shortstop Wilmer Flores in the second inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier begins to dive as he tries to make a catch on a drive by Mets left fielder Michael Conforto in the second inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers right fielder Andre Ethier meets a deep drive by Mets left fielder Michael Conforto in the second inning of Game 5.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner follows through on a run-scoring single against the Mets in the first inning of Game 5 of the National League division series Thursday night.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers starter Zack Greinke dives in vain for a ground ball hit by the Mets’ Curtis Granderson in the first inning of Game 5 of the divisional playoffs on Oct. 15, 2015, at Dodger Stadium.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) makes an off-balance throw to first base as Mets right fielder Curtis Granderson beats out an infield single in the first inning of Game 5.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson scores on a triple by teammate Daniel Murphy after reaching base on an infield hit against the Dodgers in the first inning of Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy slides into third base with a run-scoring triple against the Dodgers in the first inning of Game 5 of the NLDS.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Dodgers starter Zack Greinke delivers a pitch against the Mets in the first inning of Game 5 on Oct. 15 at Dodger Stadium.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Actor Jason Bateman cheers from the front row as the Dodgers and the Mets prepare to play in Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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A Mets player flips a ball into the stands during batting practice before Game 5.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Angel Rodriguez of East L.A. brings an ominous look to the game hours before the Dodgers played the Mets in Game 5 of the NLDS.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

By Steve Dilbeck

Oct. 16, 2015 6:43 AM PT

Shift. I said, shift!

What? Not certain what I mean, where to go, what to do? Man, you could play for the Dodgers.

These are the brighter, smarter-than-everybody-else Dodgers. They know stuff. Just watch ’em.

They have their numbers and they know how to use them. Anyway, most of the time. Hey, at least some of the time.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>

Our favorite Geek Squad arrived in the front office during the off-season and went to work revamping the Dodgers culture. The Steve Urkels of the world had their very own baseball team to play with, one that comes with a really big payroll.

One of the things they are enamored of is the defensive shift. The Dodgers were shift-happy most of the season. Sometimes it worked beautifully, sometimes not. If in the end it worked out more than it did not, I’m sure they have some numbers for you.

But Thursday night it failed, and failed so miserably, it just might have ended their season.

Naturally I’m talking about the infamous fourth inning. They were leading the Mets 2-1 in the decisive Game 5 of their National League Division Series when Dodger-killer Daniel Murphy led off with a single. One out later, with the Dodgers in a major defensive shift on the right side for left-handed hitter Lucas Duda, Zack Grienke walked him.

Murphy started trotting to second, only as he arrived, he took a peek at third and noticed no one was there. So he broke into a sprint and ended up at third, with one odd stolen base, and one group of red-faced Dodgers.

Who should have been covering third? You heard the word “probably” a lot from the Dodgers when discussing the play. Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly nominated shortstop Corey Seager, the only defender who was on the left side of the infield.

“That’s probably Corey there,” Mattingly said. “He’s on that side. Whoever’s on that side. Obviously, we don’t shift a ton, but it’s probably his responsibility there. It’s probably all of our responsibility as far as guys on the field about kind of talking about that, making sure that we know.

“I think we know on a hit that the catcher’s going and Zack’s going home, but with the walk …”

Yeah, maybe they didn’t think about what to do with the walk.

Plus, they were starting a rookie at shortstop who’s been with the team a whole month. And it’s not like they’ve started this shifting thing in earnest in the minors.

“Not much,” Seager said. “It was kind of an on-the-go learning thing. But that’s not an excuse at all.”

It’s unfair to blame a 21-year-old, though you have to wonder if the Dodgers had gone with Jimmy Rollins if the veteran wouldn’t have been more alert to the situation.

“Somebody’s got to be there,” Seager said. “Whether it’s me, Greinke, somebody. Somebody has to cover there. That’s a huge mistake on our team’s part. You have to know ahead of time if that happens that one of us has it covered.”

So who’s fault was it?

“Probably mine,” Seager said. “I should have at least gone halfway to the bag. I was talking about the next play, and unfortunately I wasn’t paying attention and he got to sneak by. That’s something we have to discuss beforehand and work out.”

Correct, if they’re going to continue to shift this much they’re going to have to give more attention during spring training and the regular season.

Greinke tried to be diplomatic.

“Just someone is supposed to be there – either me or Seager or Yas [catcher Yasmani Grandal],” Greinke said. “Someone should be there. A bunch of people made mistakes. It wasn’t any one person.”

By the time they had all carefully finished discussing the play, I still wasn’t convinced they knew the correct way to prevent the play from happening.

The next batter, Travis d’Arnaud, hit a sacrifice fly to score Murphy and the game was tied. Murphy would later add a solo home run and the Mets won by a run. Including a gift run. One that played no small part in ending their really smart season.

MORE DODGERS NEWS:

The Dodgers are out at home in Game 5 loss to Mets

Dodgers’ Yasmani Grandal might undergo shoulder surgery next week

Don Mattingly says Andre Ethier was yelling about umpire’s call, not at him