About the only thing the Dodgers can say about the last two days in Detroit is that they're glad it's over with.
Zack Greinke gave up a couple of runs in the first, and the offense continued to nothing with runners on in a 4-1 loss to the Tigers. Take away a five-run first inning yesterday, and the Dodgers were absolutely pounded 18-1 in only two games.
Ouch.
The Dodgers had to like Greinke taking the hill, as he's been very good taking the ball whenever the Dodgers lose the previous game. But, the tone was set right away that it was going to be a long day. Yasiel Puig tripled with one out, but was then thrown out trying to get back to third on Hanley Ramirez's grounder to short.
Greinke then watched Austin Jackson hit a leadoff triple, score on Ian Kinsler's single, then get another run on a two-out RBI single from Don Kelly. At 2-0, the game was virtually over already.
If you watched these games, then one thing that was very obvious to me was each team's approach at the plate with runners on base. The Tigers exuded confidence, as they scored 18 runs without a single home run. They knew what they wanted to do, stayed patient, and took good swings.
The Dodgers, on the other hand, went 0-for-5 with RISP and struck out 11 times today. That was one day after failing to score following the first inning and gathering only three more hits the rest of the way. It was hard to watch.
Take away the first career home run by Miguel Rojas in the sixth, and the Dodgers never really were in this. That cut the deficit to 3-1, but Brandon League soon gave it back in the eighth. Joe Nathan, for all of the trouble he's had this year, pitched a perfect ninth with two strikeouts for the save. He made Matt Kemp look absolutely silly in the last at-bat.
The Dodgers obviously have sky high expectations, and even though it was just two games and Clayton Kershaw did not appear, this was pretty disappointing. Throw in the fact that Miguel Cabrera didn't play today and Victor Martinez missed both games, it's an opportunity lost.
Other thoughts from the game:
* All things considered, Greinke ended up having a solid day with seven innings, seven hits, three runs, no walks, and eight strikeouts. It sure didn't look good at first, but his slider was fooling the Tigers enough to get a good start out of it. He'll head into the All-Star break at 11-5 with a 2.73 ERA and 1.17 WHIP.
* Adrian Gonzalez continues to tumble, as good at-bats for him are getting few and far between. After hitting .222 in June, it's only .231 this month, with only nine extra-base hits since the end of May. He also made a bad play on a ball hit to him where he tried to get Jackson at third and wasn't even close. He really worries me because after starting the season off so hot, he's more than cooled down. I'm hoping to see more of Scott Van Slyke at first after the break.
* Andre Ethier is another guy who isn't having a bad season, but not a good one either. He's hitting .250, with a pathetic .190 against lefties. At this point he is what he is, and that's a guy who plays a pretty good center field, but won't dazzle with the bat anymore.
* Max Scherzer is really, really good. That boy might just make the $200 million he's looking for after the season. It's hard to get anything to hit against him.
The final series before the break starts at home on Thursday against the Padres. The Padres stink, but to show you just bad the rest of the NL West is (Rockies, DBacks), they're actually in third place. It's Kershaw time, as he puts his 36 inning scoreless streak on the line. That's the perfect way to forget about the last two days.
Showing posts with label Tigers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tigers. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Not the greatest day for Dodger pitching
Josh Beckett. Hyun-Jin Ryu. Jamey Wright. What do they all have in common?
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
They're either hurt, or pitching like they're hurt.
We already knew before Tuesday night's game in Detroit that Beckett's sore hip would land him on the 15-day DL. Then the Dodgers went out and put up a five spot on Justin Verlander, with the big blows being a two-run double by Adrian Gonzalez, and two-run shot by Juan Uribe.
And then Ryu took the mound. And boy was it ugly.
Ryu walked leadoff hitter Austin Jackson, but managed to get out of the first. Then the second inning hit, and my oh my was Ryu just pounded into the ground. A combination of a tough strike zone by home plate umpire Paul Schrieber, who was terrible, in addition to not putting hitters away with two strikes did him in.
All in all, the Tigers sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. Of course, I should point out that a questionable overturned replay on a great throw by Yasiel Puig to nail Torii Hunter leading off completely changed the momentum. I only say "questionable" because I'm not at all convinced that there's "clear and convincing evidence" to overturn the call.
Then again, I'm also a Raiders' fan, and I'll never believe that damn Tuck Rule should've happened. But I digress.
Ryu was chased in the third, and Wright had to come in to get the last two outs.
Still, the Dodgers were only down 7-5, and while they looked like they were dead, perhaps they could find some offense and put together a rally, and perhaps their bullpen could put up some zeroes.
Then again, perhaps not.
Wright was flat out atrocious, failing to get one damn out in the fourth as six straight hitters reached. Chris Perez had to relieve the long reliever, which is kind of embarrassing.
Here's the final line for each pitcher:
Ryu: 2 1/3, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
Wright: 2/3, 4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
Perez: 1 2/3, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Maholm: 2 1/3, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
Baez: 1, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
Here are the inflated ERA's after this beatdown:
Ryu: 3.08 to 3.65
Wright: 2.41 to 3.24
Perez: 4.65 to 4.68
Maholm: 5.07 to 5.18
Baez: 18.00 to 9.00 (Hey, at least something went right!)
The final tally? Detroit scored 14 straight runs to win 14-5. I think the Dodgers should've at least double teamed Megatron and forced Matthew Stafford to throw somewhere else.
I also think days like Tuesday will only make Ned Colletti hungrier for pitching of any sort. Beckett going down and Ryu getting shelled makes him want another starter for insurance. Wright, Perez, and Maholm make him want bullpen help, which in my opinion is the bigger need.
Any way you slice it, Tuesday was as ugly as can be. Hopefully a big start by Zack Greinke on Wednesday afternoon will help the Dodgers get a split and move on.
Other thoughts from the game:
* Matt Kemp went 3-for-4 with an RBI to raise his average to .275. The downside is that he's pretty much a singles hitter at this point. All seven hits this month are singles, and his slugging % is .443. In his near MVP season of 2011, it was .586. The next year, which was full of one injury after another, it was still .538. I'm guessing the Dodgers didn't give him eight years and $160 million to hit singles and lose his center field position.
* Going back to that replay in the second, I still hold firm that there's no conclusive evidence to overturn that call. But, the bigger problem was Miguel Rojas not making the easy tag on Hunter's leg. He went higher, which made the play a lot closer than it should've. Bottom line is that Rojas absolutely has to make that play. Puig made a PERFECT throw to second, and Rojas didn't do the easy part. Wow.
* I wouldn't be surprised if Puig keeps swinging for the fences the next few games now that he's officially in the Home Run Derby. And that's not a good thing. He'll swing hard, hit a fly ball, then stand there and react like he just missed it. That's why his numbers have been tumbling - he just can't resist going for the long ball.
* About the only positive from the pitching staff was the work of Pedro Baez. He threw really hard and had a sharp breaking ball. Maybe he gets more looks. Better than watching clowns like Perez and Maholm, who are awful.
As I said before, the Dodgers really need Greinke to step up and be an ace on Wednesday. Getting a split after a horrific first game would be a good boost. It won't be easy, as reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and wannabe billionaire Max Scherzer goes for the Tigers.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Quietly, the Haren signing looks pretty darn good
How about these numbers for your first two starts with a new team:
Start #1: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Start #2: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Those belong to Dan Haren, who was signed this offseason to a one-year, $10 deal, with a 2015 option for $10 million that vests with 180 innings.
I'd say his chances of staying in LA and making some more cash are looking pretty good.
Beating the Padres is one thing, but beating the Tigers is a whole different story. That's exactly what he did on Tuesday night, as he went toe-to-toe with reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer for much of the game. Haren was denied a victory, and Scherzer a loss, when Kenley Jansen blew a save in the ninth.
Not to worry, as Carl Crawford's walk-off double in the ninth scored Chone Figgins to win the game.
If anyone saw Haren pitch in Spring Training, then you had plenty of reasons to be worried. In four appearances covering 12 innings, his ERA was 6.00, and opponents were hitting a whopping .373 against him. His last start against the Angels was just awful, giving up six runs in two innings.
I do recall hearing the great Orel Hershiser on SportsNet LA discuss how Haren's stuff had no break to it, perhaps because he was in Arizona at the time. When he got back to LA, things would be better, and he'd be ready to go.
As much as I love Orel, I thought that looked like a bunch of wishful thinking. Sure enough, two starts an 0.75 ERA later, he was right. Again.
With news that Josh Beckett is due to start Wednesday night against the Tigers, the Dodgers' pitching staff looks like it can at least hold its own until Clayton Kershaw returns sometime in May. A top three of Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Haren looks pretty good right now, and hopefully Beckett can find his groove as he did when he first came to the Dodgers in 2012.
Of course, if Paul Maholm gets another start, that wouldn't be a good thing. But four out of five ain't bad.
Obviously Haren won't continue to put up six innings and one or two runs. That would be awesome, but it won't happen. What we can hope for is that when everyone is healthy, he can be the best #4 man in the game. If you can go pitch-for-pitch against someone like Scherzer, I certainly think he can beat any #4 in the game.
Start #1: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Start #2: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K
Those belong to Dan Haren, who was signed this offseason to a one-year, $10 deal, with a 2015 option for $10 million that vests with 180 innings.
I'd say his chances of staying in LA and making some more cash are looking pretty good.
Beating the Padres is one thing, but beating the Tigers is a whole different story. That's exactly what he did on Tuesday night, as he went toe-to-toe with reigning Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer for much of the game. Haren was denied a victory, and Scherzer a loss, when Kenley Jansen blew a save in the ninth.
Not to worry, as Carl Crawford's walk-off double in the ninth scored Chone Figgins to win the game.
If anyone saw Haren pitch in Spring Training, then you had plenty of reasons to be worried. In four appearances covering 12 innings, his ERA was 6.00, and opponents were hitting a whopping .373 against him. His last start against the Angels was just awful, giving up six runs in two innings.
I do recall hearing the great Orel Hershiser on SportsNet LA discuss how Haren's stuff had no break to it, perhaps because he was in Arizona at the time. When he got back to LA, things would be better, and he'd be ready to go.
As much as I love Orel, I thought that looked like a bunch of wishful thinking. Sure enough, two starts an 0.75 ERA later, he was right. Again.
With news that Josh Beckett is due to start Wednesday night against the Tigers, the Dodgers' pitching staff looks like it can at least hold its own until Clayton Kershaw returns sometime in May. A top three of Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Haren looks pretty good right now, and hopefully Beckett can find his groove as he did when he first came to the Dodgers in 2012.
Of course, if Paul Maholm gets another start, that wouldn't be a good thing. But four out of five ain't bad.
Obviously Haren won't continue to put up six innings and one or two runs. That would be awesome, but it won't happen. What we can hope for is that when everyone is healthy, he can be the best #4 man in the game. If you can go pitch-for-pitch against someone like Scherzer, I certainly think he can beat any #4 in the game.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Could Prince Fielder have been a Dodger?
According to a report from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com, that would be a yes.
Heyman reported today that the Dodgers were very much the "mystery" team that emerged in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes, making an offer of seven years and $160. There would've been an opt-out clause after four years, in which he could've taken his talents to the American League to DH if his skills declined.
What prevented this deal from happening? One man: Victor Martinez. The second he went down with a torn ACL, the richer Tigers jumped in with a mammoth nine-year, $214 million deal that obviously blew away the competition. Goodbye, LA; hello, Detroit. And who can blame him?
This is obviously an interesting story for a couple of reasons. One, it showed that the Dodgers, despite slashing payroll to around $90 million this season (low for a big-market franchise), were willing to make a play on a major free agent. Frank McCourt gave his blessing for this deal, which was pretty much his only option. Think about it: would he have dumb enough to say no to this and have word get out? Talk about being Public Enemy #1! Even he's not that stupid.
The second interesting part is that Fielder was willing to take this deal and join a team that's not as good as his old one. Matt Kemp is a stud, Andre Ethier could be, and that's about it. I know money talks, but it's not like he didn't have offers from other good teams, such as the Rangers. The arrival of a new owner in April certainly helps in that the future isn't total bleak.
Who know what could have been, as the Tigers now get the mighty slugger. Maybe the Dodgers will be happy in the long run that they didn't get Fielder, as big guys like him have a tendency to break down faster. Still, watching Kemp and Fielder in the middle of the order would have been nasty. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
And so it goes for the Dodgers yet again.
Heyman reported today that the Dodgers were very much the "mystery" team that emerged in the Prince Fielder sweepstakes, making an offer of seven years and $160. There would've been an opt-out clause after four years, in which he could've taken his talents to the American League to DH if his skills declined.
What prevented this deal from happening? One man: Victor Martinez. The second he went down with a torn ACL, the richer Tigers jumped in with a mammoth nine-year, $214 million deal that obviously blew away the competition. Goodbye, LA; hello, Detroit. And who can blame him?
This is obviously an interesting story for a couple of reasons. One, it showed that the Dodgers, despite slashing payroll to around $90 million this season (low for a big-market franchise), were willing to make a play on a major free agent. Frank McCourt gave his blessing for this deal, which was pretty much his only option. Think about it: would he have dumb enough to say no to this and have word get out? Talk about being Public Enemy #1! Even he's not that stupid.
The second interesting part is that Fielder was willing to take this deal and join a team that's not as good as his old one. Matt Kemp is a stud, Andre Ethier could be, and that's about it. I know money talks, but it's not like he didn't have offers from other good teams, such as the Rangers. The arrival of a new owner in April certainly helps in that the future isn't total bleak.
Who know what could have been, as the Tigers now get the mighty slugger. Maybe the Dodgers will be happy in the long run that they didn't get Fielder, as big guys like him have a tendency to break down faster. Still, watching Kemp and Fielder in the middle of the order would have been nasty. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.
And so it goes for the Dodgers yet again.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Navarro's long drive just inches short
Dioner Navarro's long fly ball to dead center field nearly gave the Dodgers their first four-game winning streak of the season. Instead, they'll have to settle for two out of three.
Austin Jackson had to get on his horse to snag Navarro's shot, which would have easily cleared the bases and given the Dodgers a win. But, the Tigers made good on four home runs and held on for the win, 7-5. The Dodgers are now 3-6 on their homestand.
The Dodgers finally had some reasons to feel good about themselves, as they sported wins in three straight games coming into this one. Ted Lilly was given the ball to try and extend that streak, but one batter into the game, he knew he'd be in for a long day. Casper Wells led off the game with a solo shot.
Looking to respond, Juan Uribe singled with one out. Andre Ethier flew out, but Matt Kemp cranked an RBI triple to tie the game. James Loney was able to find some room in left for an RBI single and 2-1 lead.
The lead didn't last long, as Lilly just couldn't get on track. Victor Martinez walked to set things up for Magglio Ordonez, who lifted a two-run shot to left to grab the lead back at 3-2.
The following inning, the Tigers went deep again, this time on a two-run bomb by Miguel Cabrera, putting them up 5-2. They definitely have some muscle, and it was on full display in this one.
Kemp singled to start the bottom of the fourth, and soon stole his 21st base. Loney walked to put two on with none out. Marcus Thames actually had a good at-bat for the first time in... well, forever, with an RBI single. An out later, Jamey Carroll flew out to right, and Ordonez gunned down Loney trying to scamper home. I'm pretty sure being fleet of foot is not a way to describe him.
Both teams went back and forth in the fifth. After Lilly gave up a two-out single to Brandon Boesch, Mike MacDougal relieved to try and get the last out. He didn't, as a single by Cabrera led to an RBI single from Martinez for the 6-3 lead.
The bottom of the fifth got very interesting, as the Dodgers sent eight men to the plate, but only came away with two runs. Tony Gwynn and Aaron Miles both singled to start. Uribe grounded into a double play, sending Gwynn to third. Ethier collected an RBI single to make it 6-4, and Kemp singled to keep the inning going.
Charlie Furbush then relieved Rick Porcello, and Loney greeted him with an RBI single to go down 6-5. Thames took a walk to load the bases for Navarro, who struck out to end the inning. Navarro has played well lately, but he didn't come through twice with the bases loaded, which has to be as frustrating as it gets.
Don Kelly added an insurance run for the Tigers with a solo homer off of Matt Guerrier leading off the eighth. Blake Hawksworth got a double play from Andy Dirks to get out of it. The Dodgers put two on in the bottom of the frame, only to see Joaquin Benoit blow away Miles for the final out.
It all came down to the bottom of the ninth, and the Dodgers showed some heart. Jose Valverde was in looking for his 17th save, and with one out, the Dodgers loaded the bases on a single by Ethier, a walk to Kemp, and a single by Loney. Don Mattingly called on veteran Casey Blake to hit for Dee Gordon, and he struck out. Navarro came so close to ending the game with a mighty swing, but give Jackson credit for tracking it down.
A sweep would have been great, even downright shocking, but the Dodgers will gladly take two of three. With the lifeless ball they played last week, they at least showed grit these three games, even in a losing effort in this one. They're only 34-42, so getting back to .500 will still require plenty of work.
Lilly never got rolling, as he went 4 2/3 innings for six hits, six runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts. The strikeouts were nice, but there aren't many pitchers who can survive three taters. His previous two starts have been awful, which is disappointing considering he had five good ones before that.
The offense outhit the Tigers 13-10, and took more walks at 5-3. But, a quick look at the men left on base tells the story, as the Dodgers left 14, and the Tigers left 5. Needless to say, that's a huge difference. Four homers to none for the away team made a difference as well.
Thursday will be an off day for the Dodgers. They will then welcome in the rival Anaheim Angels to finish up the homestand for three games. Rubby De La Rosa goes in the first game against a very solid Dan Haren.
Austin Jackson had to get on his horse to snag Navarro's shot, which would have easily cleared the bases and given the Dodgers a win. But, the Tigers made good on four home runs and held on for the win, 7-5. The Dodgers are now 3-6 on their homestand.
The Dodgers finally had some reasons to feel good about themselves, as they sported wins in three straight games coming into this one. Ted Lilly was given the ball to try and extend that streak, but one batter into the game, he knew he'd be in for a long day. Casper Wells led off the game with a solo shot.
Looking to respond, Juan Uribe singled with one out. Andre Ethier flew out, but Matt Kemp cranked an RBI triple to tie the game. James Loney was able to find some room in left for an RBI single and 2-1 lead.
The lead didn't last long, as Lilly just couldn't get on track. Victor Martinez walked to set things up for Magglio Ordonez, who lifted a two-run shot to left to grab the lead back at 3-2.
The following inning, the Tigers went deep again, this time on a two-run bomb by Miguel Cabrera, putting them up 5-2. They definitely have some muscle, and it was on full display in this one.
Kemp singled to start the bottom of the fourth, and soon stole his 21st base. Loney walked to put two on with none out. Marcus Thames actually had a good at-bat for the first time in... well, forever, with an RBI single. An out later, Jamey Carroll flew out to right, and Ordonez gunned down Loney trying to scamper home. I'm pretty sure being fleet of foot is not a way to describe him.
Both teams went back and forth in the fifth. After Lilly gave up a two-out single to Brandon Boesch, Mike MacDougal relieved to try and get the last out. He didn't, as a single by Cabrera led to an RBI single from Martinez for the 6-3 lead.
The bottom of the fifth got very interesting, as the Dodgers sent eight men to the plate, but only came away with two runs. Tony Gwynn and Aaron Miles both singled to start. Uribe grounded into a double play, sending Gwynn to third. Ethier collected an RBI single to make it 6-4, and Kemp singled to keep the inning going.
Charlie Furbush then relieved Rick Porcello, and Loney greeted him with an RBI single to go down 6-5. Thames took a walk to load the bases for Navarro, who struck out to end the inning. Navarro has played well lately, but he didn't come through twice with the bases loaded, which has to be as frustrating as it gets.
Don Kelly added an insurance run for the Tigers with a solo homer off of Matt Guerrier leading off the eighth. Blake Hawksworth got a double play from Andy Dirks to get out of it. The Dodgers put two on in the bottom of the frame, only to see Joaquin Benoit blow away Miles for the final out.
It all came down to the bottom of the ninth, and the Dodgers showed some heart. Jose Valverde was in looking for his 17th save, and with one out, the Dodgers loaded the bases on a single by Ethier, a walk to Kemp, and a single by Loney. Don Mattingly called on veteran Casey Blake to hit for Dee Gordon, and he struck out. Navarro came so close to ending the game with a mighty swing, but give Jackson credit for tracking it down.
A sweep would have been great, even downright shocking, but the Dodgers will gladly take two of three. With the lifeless ball they played last week, they at least showed grit these three games, even in a losing effort in this one. They're only 34-42, so getting back to .500 will still require plenty of work.
Lilly never got rolling, as he went 4 2/3 innings for six hits, six runs, one walk, and eight strikeouts. The strikeouts were nice, but there aren't many pitchers who can survive three taters. His previous two starts have been awful, which is disappointing considering he had five good ones before that.
The offense outhit the Tigers 13-10, and took more walks at 5-3. But, a quick look at the men left on base tells the story, as the Dodgers left 14, and the Tigers left 5. Needless to say, that's a huge difference. Four homers to none for the away team made a difference as well.
Thursday will be an off day for the Dodgers. They will then welcome in the rival Anaheim Angels to finish up the homestand for three games. Rubby De La Rosa goes in the first game against a very solid Dan Haren.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Picture me rolling: 3 straight for LA
The Dodgers started their 12-game homestand looking dead in the water. Five straight losses bumped them to nine games in back of the NL West lead.
Three wins later, the Dodgers have at least a glimmer of hope of better days to come.
Chad Billingsley pitched into the sixth, the bullpen was flawless, and Andre Ethier's two-run homer all helped propel the Dodgers to another win over the Tigers, 6-1. The Dodgers have won the last two games a combined 10-1.
It's hard to imagine that this is the same team that got swept by the Reds and were on the verge of getting the same treatment against the lowly Astros. But, to their credit, the Dodgers have really put it together against a solid Tigers team. I'm not sure many of us saw this coming.
James Loney took a walk with one out in the second to start the first rally. Aaron Miles started at second, and he singled for two on. A.J. Ellis, who's made a small career out of being recalled and demoted, came through with an RBI single for the 1-0 lead.
The Tigers tied it up in the fourth. Don Kelly led off and drew a walk, and soon went to second on Brendon Boesch's single. Victor Martinez knotted the game with an RBI single. Still with nobody out, Billingsley struck out the next two and induced a groundout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Dodgers took the lead for good. Loney again got things going with a leadoff double, his ninth of the season. But, he was soon erased at third trying to advance on a grounder by Miles. Ellis grounded out for two down. Tony Gwynn legged out an infield single to score Miles and take a 2-1 lead.
Ethier got into one in the fifth to give the Dodgers and Billingsley some cushion. Juan Uribe singled with one down in another start in the #2 hole. Ethier lifted his seventh homer of the season to right for the 4-1 lead. It was his only hit of the night, but was much better than watching him spray dinky little singles. The Dodgers need him to be that power bat in the #3 spot.
The Tigers made things interesting in the sixth, but ultimately came up empty. Boesch and Martinez singled to start the inning and immediately put Billingsley in some hot water. Andy Dirks struck out, but Alex Avila walked to load the bases.
Out went Billingsley, in came Mike MacDougal, and Jim Leyland countered by sending the mighty Miguel Cabrera to the plate. The game was pretty much on the line right here, and MacDougal won the battle with a 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam.
The game was put away for good in the bottom of the sixth, as the Dodgers added two more. Miles singled leading off. Two outs later, Trent Oeltjen pinch-hit and doubled home Miles for the 5-1 lead. Dee Gordon's RBI single made it 6-1.
The story then turned to the bullpen and the great job they did. Matt Guerrier pitched the seventh and got a double play from Kelly to end the inning. Hong-Chih Kuo made his return from hiatus and threw a perfect eighth. Blake Hawksworth struck out the side, ala Clayton Kershaw the night before, to emphatically end the ballgame.
There were a couple of tense moments in this one to test the Dodgers, but they passed with flying colors. They induced two inning-ending double play balls, which went a long way in keeping the Tigers' offense in check. The pitching held their offense without an extra-base hit.
Billingsley bounced back from some horrific outings lately to last 5 1/3 innings for six hits, one run, two walks, and six strikeouts. His WHIP for the season is still very high at 1.52, but tonight he stranded those runners, with a little help from MacDougal in the sixth. He evened his record at 6-6.
The bullpen was great. MacDougal, Guerrier, Kuo, and Hawksworth combined to throw the final 3 2/3 innings for one hit, no runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. You really can't get a whole lot better than that. A healthy Kuo makes a huge difference, as he's the best lefty reliever in baseball when he's right. One strong outing doesn't make him magically cured, but it's as good a start as he could've asked for.
Worth noting is that Matt Kemp stole two bases, both in the seventh, to get up to 20 on the season. To put in perspective just how impressive that is, he stole 19 all of last season. He's now at the 20-20 mark, and 30-30 is on the horizon. That's practically a rarity these days.
The Dodgers will now look for the sweep, which seemed improbable a few days ago. Ted Lilly will get the ball looking to earn his sixth win.
Three wins later, the Dodgers have at least a glimmer of hope of better days to come.
Chad Billingsley pitched into the sixth, the bullpen was flawless, and Andre Ethier's two-run homer all helped propel the Dodgers to another win over the Tigers, 6-1. The Dodgers have won the last two games a combined 10-1.
It's hard to imagine that this is the same team that got swept by the Reds and were on the verge of getting the same treatment against the lowly Astros. But, to their credit, the Dodgers have really put it together against a solid Tigers team. I'm not sure many of us saw this coming.
James Loney took a walk with one out in the second to start the first rally. Aaron Miles started at second, and he singled for two on. A.J. Ellis, who's made a small career out of being recalled and demoted, came through with an RBI single for the 1-0 lead.
The Tigers tied it up in the fourth. Don Kelly led off and drew a walk, and soon went to second on Brendon Boesch's single. Victor Martinez knotted the game with an RBI single. Still with nobody out, Billingsley struck out the next two and induced a groundout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Dodgers took the lead for good. Loney again got things going with a leadoff double, his ninth of the season. But, he was soon erased at third trying to advance on a grounder by Miles. Ellis grounded out for two down. Tony Gwynn legged out an infield single to score Miles and take a 2-1 lead.
Ethier got into one in the fifth to give the Dodgers and Billingsley some cushion. Juan Uribe singled with one down in another start in the #2 hole. Ethier lifted his seventh homer of the season to right for the 4-1 lead. It was his only hit of the night, but was much better than watching him spray dinky little singles. The Dodgers need him to be that power bat in the #3 spot.
The Tigers made things interesting in the sixth, but ultimately came up empty. Boesch and Martinez singled to start the inning and immediately put Billingsley in some hot water. Andy Dirks struck out, but Alex Avila walked to load the bases.
Out went Billingsley, in came Mike MacDougal, and Jim Leyland countered by sending the mighty Miguel Cabrera to the plate. The game was pretty much on the line right here, and MacDougal won the battle with a 6-4-3 double play to escape the jam.
The game was put away for good in the bottom of the sixth, as the Dodgers added two more. Miles singled leading off. Two outs later, Trent Oeltjen pinch-hit and doubled home Miles for the 5-1 lead. Dee Gordon's RBI single made it 6-1.
The story then turned to the bullpen and the great job they did. Matt Guerrier pitched the seventh and got a double play from Kelly to end the inning. Hong-Chih Kuo made his return from hiatus and threw a perfect eighth. Blake Hawksworth struck out the side, ala Clayton Kershaw the night before, to emphatically end the ballgame.
There were a couple of tense moments in this one to test the Dodgers, but they passed with flying colors. They induced two inning-ending double play balls, which went a long way in keeping the Tigers' offense in check. The pitching held their offense without an extra-base hit.
Billingsley bounced back from some horrific outings lately to last 5 1/3 innings for six hits, one run, two walks, and six strikeouts. His WHIP for the season is still very high at 1.52, but tonight he stranded those runners, with a little help from MacDougal in the sixth. He evened his record at 6-6.
The bullpen was great. MacDougal, Guerrier, Kuo, and Hawksworth combined to throw the final 3 2/3 innings for one hit, no runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. You really can't get a whole lot better than that. A healthy Kuo makes a huge difference, as he's the best lefty reliever in baseball when he's right. One strong outing doesn't make him magically cured, but it's as good a start as he could've asked for.
Worth noting is that Matt Kemp stole two bases, both in the seventh, to get up to 20 on the season. To put in perspective just how impressive that is, he stole 19 all of last season. He's now at the 20-20 mark, and 30-30 is on the horizon. That's practically a rarity these days.
The Dodgers will now look for the sweep, which seemed improbable a few days ago. Ted Lilly will get the ball looking to earn his sixth win.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Kershaw builds his All-Star resume
That wall Clayton Kershaw had been running into in recent starts? He just broke through it.
Kershaw posted his latest dominant outing on Monday, throwing a complete game, two-hit shutout as the Dodgers beat the Tigers, 4-0. How did two of those runs score? On a single by Kershaw. You could say he did it all.
The Dodgers got things started in the first. Juan Uribe has been in a horrible slump pretty much all season, so Don Mattingly gave him a second straight start in the #2 hole. It worked in this one, as he took a full count pitch out to left for his fourth homer of the year and a 1-0 lead.
The defense gave Kershaw some support in the third. The Tigers mustered only two hits on the night, but one of them came here on a leadoff double by Ryan Raburn. He went to third on a groundout and stayed there when Brad Penny struck out. With two down now, Dioner Navarro executed a perfect throw behind to nail him at third to get the last out. It was great communication between he and Uribe.
After wasting a couple of good opportunities in the fourth and fifth, the Dodgers tacked on another run in the sixth. James Loney started it with a double, his eighth of the season. An out later, Navarro stroked an RBI double to go up 2-0. The Dodgers still aren't hitting much, but that's two straight games in which Navarro has provided big at-bats.
From there it was all about Kershaw, as he refused to let the Tigers get settled in. In fact, he got even better as the innings wore on. And when he wasn't dealing, he was giving himself some room for comfort with his bat. In the eighth, Matt Kemp walked leading off and Loney singled for two on. Kemp then stole third and Loney took second on an error by Victor Martinez.
Navarro was soon given the intentional walk to pitch to Jamey Carroll, who grounded into a forceout for two down. Kershaw didn't exactly kill the ball, but found a perfect spot to ground one through the infield for a two-run single and 4-0 advantage.
The ninth inning was the sweetest, as Kershaw struck out the side to put an exclamation point on arguably the best outing of his career. He finished with 11 strikeouts and only one walk to run his record to 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA.
Over his last two starts, Kershaw has thrown 16 innings, giving up only one run on six hits, walking three and striking out 15. If you recall, he went through a couple of rough patches before that in which he started off the game very well, then got hit hard in the middle innings. That seems like a distant memory now.
The National League is loaded with power arms, so to make the All-Star game as a starting pitcher, you know you earned it. There should be no doubt after last night that Kershaw has earned it. He leads the league in strikeouts at 117 (Halladay has 114 with one less start), and is right up there in innings pitched, ERA, WHIP, and BAA.
By my calculations, if the Dodgers stay on the current rotation, then Kershaw's last start before the All-Star game will be on Thursday, July 7 against the Mets. That means when the All-Star game hits that following Tuesday, he will be pitching on his normal rest. If he can look good over his next three starts before the break, then he has a legitimate shot at being named the starter simply because of rest. Come on, Bruce Bochy, throw him a bone!
But that's looking way ahead, so let's focus on this one for now. Loney and Uribe had good games, and Lord knows they could use it. Loney went 3-for-4 with two runs and a double. To his credit, he's been hitting very well in June to the tune of a .322 average. He still doesn't provide much power, but at least he's hitting.
The Dodgers now have two straight shutout victories, which is tough to do against anyone. Tonight's starter is Chad Billingsley, and he has a lot to prove. As great as Kershaw has been, Bills has not. At the end of May his ERA stood at 3.46. Three horrible starts later, it's now at 4.65. He'll look to turn things around against Max Scherzer, who's had a great year with a 9-2 record.
Kershaw posted his latest dominant outing on Monday, throwing a complete game, two-hit shutout as the Dodgers beat the Tigers, 4-0. How did two of those runs score? On a single by Kershaw. You could say he did it all.
The Dodgers got things started in the first. Juan Uribe has been in a horrible slump pretty much all season, so Don Mattingly gave him a second straight start in the #2 hole. It worked in this one, as he took a full count pitch out to left for his fourth homer of the year and a 1-0 lead.
The defense gave Kershaw some support in the third. The Tigers mustered only two hits on the night, but one of them came here on a leadoff double by Ryan Raburn. He went to third on a groundout and stayed there when Brad Penny struck out. With two down now, Dioner Navarro executed a perfect throw behind to nail him at third to get the last out. It was great communication between he and Uribe.
After wasting a couple of good opportunities in the fourth and fifth, the Dodgers tacked on another run in the sixth. James Loney started it with a double, his eighth of the season. An out later, Navarro stroked an RBI double to go up 2-0. The Dodgers still aren't hitting much, but that's two straight games in which Navarro has provided big at-bats.
From there it was all about Kershaw, as he refused to let the Tigers get settled in. In fact, he got even better as the innings wore on. And when he wasn't dealing, he was giving himself some room for comfort with his bat. In the eighth, Matt Kemp walked leading off and Loney singled for two on. Kemp then stole third and Loney took second on an error by Victor Martinez.
Navarro was soon given the intentional walk to pitch to Jamey Carroll, who grounded into a forceout for two down. Kershaw didn't exactly kill the ball, but found a perfect spot to ground one through the infield for a two-run single and 4-0 advantage.
The ninth inning was the sweetest, as Kershaw struck out the side to put an exclamation point on arguably the best outing of his career. He finished with 11 strikeouts and only one walk to run his record to 7-3 with a 3.01 ERA.
Over his last two starts, Kershaw has thrown 16 innings, giving up only one run on six hits, walking three and striking out 15. If you recall, he went through a couple of rough patches before that in which he started off the game very well, then got hit hard in the middle innings. That seems like a distant memory now.
The National League is loaded with power arms, so to make the All-Star game as a starting pitcher, you know you earned it. There should be no doubt after last night that Kershaw has earned it. He leads the league in strikeouts at 117 (Halladay has 114 with one less start), and is right up there in innings pitched, ERA, WHIP, and BAA.
By my calculations, if the Dodgers stay on the current rotation, then Kershaw's last start before the All-Star game will be on Thursday, July 7 against the Mets. That means when the All-Star game hits that following Tuesday, he will be pitching on his normal rest. If he can look good over his next three starts before the break, then he has a legitimate shot at being named the starter simply because of rest. Come on, Bruce Bochy, throw him a bone!
But that's looking way ahead, so let's focus on this one for now. Loney and Uribe had good games, and Lord knows they could use it. Loney went 3-for-4 with two runs and a double. To his credit, he's been hitting very well in June to the tune of a .322 average. He still doesn't provide much power, but at least he's hitting.
The Dodgers now have two straight shutout victories, which is tough to do against anyone. Tonight's starter is Chad Billingsley, and he has a lot to prove. As great as Kershaw has been, Bills has not. At the end of May his ERA stood at 3.46. Three horrible starts later, it's now at 4.65. He'll look to turn things around against Max Scherzer, who's had a great year with a 9-2 record.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Tigers' big guns come through
The Tigers scored early and late to defeat the Dodgers 6-2 and avoid being swept in Dodger Stadium. With another victory by the Padres, the Dodgers are now a game back in the NL West.
Hiroki Kuroda made the start, and he immediately found himself in trouble. Johnny Damon laced a double to the wall in center to begin the game. After a sacrifice bunt by Ramon Santiago moved Damon to third, Magglio Ordonez's RBI single made it 1-0.
Next came an absolutely mammoth home run by Miguel Cabrera. It wasn't like he got a lot of air under it, but he just smoked it way out to left to score two and go up 3-0.
The Dodgers have actually been vulnerable in the first inning recently, and today was no different. But, with Manny Ramirez resting, in addition to Rafael Furcal and Andre Ethier being out again, scoring runs would be hard to come by on this afternoon.
It took until the fifth for the Dodgers to cash in with runners on. Blake DeWitt singled off the leg of pitcher Rick Porcello. Poor Porcello got hit three times today by liners, but sucked it up and had an effective game. Jamey Carroll singled next, and DeWitt went to third on Ordonez's bobble in right.
Kuroda laid down a bunt to advance Carroll to second for two outs. Xavier Paul got the Dodgers' only big hit of the day with a two-run single, slashing the lead to 3-2.
The sixth brought another threat from the Dodgers. With two outs, Garrett Anderson, DeWitt, and Carroll all singled to load the bases. With Kuroda's spot up, Joe Torre wasted no time in dialing Manny's number. The crowd was going crazy, as Manny has been magical in these spots.
Not this time. A weak bouncer to third on the first pitch ended the inning.
Ronald Belisario would like to forget about this game, as he gave up a few hits. It started in the eighth when Ordonez homered to left, getting the lead up to 4-2. The Dodgers put a couple on in the bottom of the frame, but Ronnie Belliard pinch-hit and promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The ninth brought a couple more runs for the Tigers off of Belisario and George Sherrill. Belisario let a couple runners reach while only getting one out, and Adam Everett and Damon drove in both runs when Sherrill came in.
Jose Valverde came on and got Russell Martin to hit into a double play to end the game.
The Dodgers collected 11 hits, but were victimized by not getting the big hits they've grown accustomed to. They had spots for it to happen, like Manny and Belliard's pinch-hitting appearances, but it just wasn't meant to be today.
Kuroda was pretty lousy to start the game, but ended up with a decent line of six innings, six hits, three runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. It was good to see him battle back as the game went on.
As for Belisario, his ERA now stands at 6.28. But, perhaps he should get a pass because he's appeared in seven straight games before today without giving up a run. I still think he's one of the better setup men in the game, so I'm not worried.
Even with the loss today, the homestand has to be considered a success. Actually, the Dodgers could have lost by 10 today and I would still say it was successful. They went 5-2, and have won 12 of 14, and 14 of 17. It's safe to say the month of May has been friendly.
The Dodgers will now use a travel day on Monday before starting a three-game set with the Cubs. It's always fun to watch the Dodgers play in Wrigley, especially when half the team is in the stands brawling with the fans. Clayton Kershaw gets the start, and let's hope Chad Kreuter is brought in to be the catcher.
Hiroki Kuroda made the start, and he immediately found himself in trouble. Johnny Damon laced a double to the wall in center to begin the game. After a sacrifice bunt by Ramon Santiago moved Damon to third, Magglio Ordonez's RBI single made it 1-0.
Next came an absolutely mammoth home run by Miguel Cabrera. It wasn't like he got a lot of air under it, but he just smoked it way out to left to score two and go up 3-0.
The Dodgers have actually been vulnerable in the first inning recently, and today was no different. But, with Manny Ramirez resting, in addition to Rafael Furcal and Andre Ethier being out again, scoring runs would be hard to come by on this afternoon.
It took until the fifth for the Dodgers to cash in with runners on. Blake DeWitt singled off the leg of pitcher Rick Porcello. Poor Porcello got hit three times today by liners, but sucked it up and had an effective game. Jamey Carroll singled next, and DeWitt went to third on Ordonez's bobble in right.
Kuroda laid down a bunt to advance Carroll to second for two outs. Xavier Paul got the Dodgers' only big hit of the day with a two-run single, slashing the lead to 3-2.
The sixth brought another threat from the Dodgers. With two outs, Garrett Anderson, DeWitt, and Carroll all singled to load the bases. With Kuroda's spot up, Joe Torre wasted no time in dialing Manny's number. The crowd was going crazy, as Manny has been magical in these spots.
Not this time. A weak bouncer to third on the first pitch ended the inning.
Ronald Belisario would like to forget about this game, as he gave up a few hits. It started in the eighth when Ordonez homered to left, getting the lead up to 4-2. The Dodgers put a couple on in the bottom of the frame, but Ronnie Belliard pinch-hit and promptly grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The ninth brought a couple more runs for the Tigers off of Belisario and George Sherrill. Belisario let a couple runners reach while only getting one out, and Adam Everett and Damon drove in both runs when Sherrill came in.
Jose Valverde came on and got Russell Martin to hit into a double play to end the game.
The Dodgers collected 11 hits, but were victimized by not getting the big hits they've grown accustomed to. They had spots for it to happen, like Manny and Belliard's pinch-hitting appearances, but it just wasn't meant to be today.
Kuroda was pretty lousy to start the game, but ended up with a decent line of six innings, six hits, three runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. It was good to see him battle back as the game went on.
As for Belisario, his ERA now stands at 6.28. But, perhaps he should get a pass because he's appeared in seven straight games before today without giving up a run. I still think he's one of the better setup men in the game, so I'm not worried.
Even with the loss today, the homestand has to be considered a success. Actually, the Dodgers could have lost by 10 today and I would still say it was successful. They went 5-2, and have won 12 of 14, and 14 of 17. It's safe to say the month of May has been friendly.
The Dodgers will now use a travel day on Monday before starting a three-game set with the Cubs. It's always fun to watch the Dodgers play in Wrigley, especially when half the team is in the stands brawling with the fans. Clayton Kershaw gets the start, and let's hope Chad Kreuter is brought in to be the catcher.
Dodgers hold off Tigers for another win
Casey Blake and Matt Kemp hit homers, giving the Dodgers enough runs to make up for a shaky bullpen to down the Tigers, 6-4. That's now 12 wins in the last 13 games.
Rookie John Ely got the start, and he certainly had his fare share of nervous moments in the first. Ramon Santiago doubled with one out and then advanced to third on Kemp's fielding error. An RBI single by Magglio Ordonez made it 1-0.
Miguel Cabrera then doubled to put two runners on. Brennan Boesch began his big day by hitting an RBI groundout to go up 2-0. Brandon Inge then walked, but Gerald Laird flew out to end the threat.
Thankfully for Ely, that was as much trouble as he would get in. He would eventually earn the win by lasting six innings for eight hits, two runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. He's now 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in what is quickly turning into quite the impressive season.
The Dodgers started chipping away at the small deficit in the first. Russell Martin hit leadoff and walked. Xavier Paul got another start in right and reached on a bunt single, and Martin advanced to third on Cabrera's error. A sac-fly RBI by Manny Ramirez made it 2-1.
The game was then tied in the second when Blake hit a leadoff homer. It was his sixth of the season, part of his 3-for-4 day. His average is now up to .273 after being as low as .233 on May 17.
In the fifth, the Dodgers took the lead for good. Kemp doubled to start things off. James Loney hit an RBI single to go up 3-2. Blake singled to put a couple on, and Blake DeWitt hit a two-run triple to make it 5-2. Kemp's solo shot the next inning pushed the lead to 6-2.
Hong-Chih Kuo came on in the seventh after Ely gave up a single to Austin Jackson. After two quick outs, Blake committed an error to put a couple on, then Ordonez walked. In a big spot, Cabrera grounded back to Kuo to squash a potentially big inning.
Ramon Troncoso was then given the ball, and boy did things get scary all over. First, Boesch hit a solo homer to cut the lead to 6-3. With two outs, Jackson was then beaned right in the front of his helmet on a fastball. It looked and sounded pretty bad, but Jackson was able to walk off on his own, obviously a good sight. Jeff Weaver got Ryan Raburn to fly out for the last out.
Next up was Jonathan Broxton, and he had to scratch and claw for his 10th save. Two singles by Johnny Damon and Santiago greeted him. Alex Avilia struck out, and Blake made a great diving stop to force Santiago out at second off of Cabrera's bat. Boesch then hit an RBI ground rule double to right, and it was 6-4. Inge struck out looking with two runners on to end the game.
While the end of the game certainly had its moments, the Dodgers still came away with the W. It's never good to see someone getting clunked in the head, so we can only hope Jackson doesn't miss an extended amount of time. Good thing it got part of his helmet and not the exposed part of his face.
In addition to another win, more good news came in that Rafael Furcal could be activated for Sunday's game, or Tuesday in Chicago at the latest. Then again, we heard something similar about a week ago, and it never happened. Getting Raffy back on top of the lineup will be fun to watch. But, let's not forget about the great job Jamey Carroll has done in his absence.
The Dodgers will go for the sweep today. Hiroki Kuroda will look to get his sixth win, which would put him among the league leaders in that category.
Rookie John Ely got the start, and he certainly had his fare share of nervous moments in the first. Ramon Santiago doubled with one out and then advanced to third on Kemp's fielding error. An RBI single by Magglio Ordonez made it 1-0.
Miguel Cabrera then doubled to put two runners on. Brennan Boesch began his big day by hitting an RBI groundout to go up 2-0. Brandon Inge then walked, but Gerald Laird flew out to end the threat.
Thankfully for Ely, that was as much trouble as he would get in. He would eventually earn the win by lasting six innings for eight hits, two runs, one walk, and three strikeouts. He's now 3-1 with a 3.41 ERA in what is quickly turning into quite the impressive season.
The Dodgers started chipping away at the small deficit in the first. Russell Martin hit leadoff and walked. Xavier Paul got another start in right and reached on a bunt single, and Martin advanced to third on Cabrera's error. A sac-fly RBI by Manny Ramirez made it 2-1.
The game was then tied in the second when Blake hit a leadoff homer. It was his sixth of the season, part of his 3-for-4 day. His average is now up to .273 after being as low as .233 on May 17.
In the fifth, the Dodgers took the lead for good. Kemp doubled to start things off. James Loney hit an RBI single to go up 3-2. Blake singled to put a couple on, and Blake DeWitt hit a two-run triple to make it 5-2. Kemp's solo shot the next inning pushed the lead to 6-2.
Hong-Chih Kuo came on in the seventh after Ely gave up a single to Austin Jackson. After two quick outs, Blake committed an error to put a couple on, then Ordonez walked. In a big spot, Cabrera grounded back to Kuo to squash a potentially big inning.
Ramon Troncoso was then given the ball, and boy did things get scary all over. First, Boesch hit a solo homer to cut the lead to 6-3. With two outs, Jackson was then beaned right in the front of his helmet on a fastball. It looked and sounded pretty bad, but Jackson was able to walk off on his own, obviously a good sight. Jeff Weaver got Ryan Raburn to fly out for the last out.
Next up was Jonathan Broxton, and he had to scratch and claw for his 10th save. Two singles by Johnny Damon and Santiago greeted him. Alex Avilia struck out, and Blake made a great diving stop to force Santiago out at second off of Cabrera's bat. Boesch then hit an RBI ground rule double to right, and it was 6-4. Inge struck out looking with two runners on to end the game.
While the end of the game certainly had its moments, the Dodgers still came away with the W. It's never good to see someone getting clunked in the head, so we can only hope Jackson doesn't miss an extended amount of time. Good thing it got part of his helmet and not the exposed part of his face.
In addition to another win, more good news came in that Rafael Furcal could be activated for Sunday's game, or Tuesday in Chicago at the latest. Then again, we heard something similar about a week ago, and it never happened. Getting Raffy back on top of the lineup will be fun to watch. But, let's not forget about the great job Jamey Carroll has done in his absence.
The Dodgers will go for the sweep today. Hiroki Kuroda will look to get his sixth win, which would put him among the league leaders in that category.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Billingsley and the subs take first place
Joe Torre's lineup card was one of the strangest he's filled out this season. With only Manny Ramirez, Matt Kemp, and Casey Blake starting like usual, the Dodgers were in store for a close battle.
Didn't matter with Chad Billingsley on the mound.
Billingsley was awesome in limiting the Tigers to one run over seven innings. A productive middle three innings was enough for the Dodgers to take the interleague opener, 4-1.
With the Padres getting steamrolled in Seattle (even with Cliff Lee having an off night), the Dodgers have moved into a first-place tie with the Pads. But the Dodgers have won five of six from them this season, giving them the tiebreaker. I have no idea if that even matters, but in my mind it's good enough. So there.
Like the pattern has been the last few games, the opposition scored a run in the first, then got shut down the rest of the way. Austin Jackson hit one in front of a slow-motion Manny for a leadoff double. A groundout and a sac-fly RBI from Magglio Ordonez later, and the Tigers led 1-0.
Dontrelle Willis was getting plenty of groundouts through the first part of the order. But in the fourth, the Dodgers starting getting baserunners on. It all started with two outs. Matt Kemp singled and took second on a wild pitch. Walks to Blake and Reed Johnson loaded the bases.
Nick Green got a rare start at second, as he was a mere 0-for-5 coming into this game. He did the smartest thing he could - he got beaned in the foot to force in a run. Actually, it kind of looked like he did, but it was close. Nonetheless, it forced in the tying run. A.J. Ellis hit a liner that was snared at second to end it.
With Bills in full control, the Dodgers got his back by tacking on a couple in the fifth. Jamey Carroll hit in the leadoff spot and walked with one out. Ronnie Belliard doubled for runners in scoring position. With Manny up, a wild pitch easily allowed Carroll to score. Manny then hit a hard one off of Brandon Inge's foot for an RBI single, making it 3-1.
Ellis took advantage of his once-in-a-blue-moon start by hitting an RBI single in the sixth to score Johnson. Speaking of Johnson, he started in right and played great, going 3-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
Four runs was more than enough with the pitching being so good on this night. Billingsley ended with seven innings, four hits, one run, two walks, and five strikeouts. He had some deep counts early in the game, but made big pitches to wiggle out of trouble.
The bullpen was again great. Ronald Belisario pitched a scoreless eighth, and Jonathan Broxton struck out the side for his ninth save. Broxton now has a 1.02 ERA to go along with 27 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Back on May 5, the Dodgers lost 11-3 to the Brewers. Their record was 11-16, and they pretty much looked like crap. Since then, they've won 13 of 15 to push their record to 24-18. The offense has busted out plenty of runs in some games, but the streak is mostly because of pitching and defense. That's the Dodger-like formula for winning.
Tonight's game is a good matchup of young hurlers, as John Ely takes on Armando Galarraga. Since being recalled on May 10 when Charlie Haeger went on the DL, Ely's given up five runs in 19 2/3 innings. He's been everything and more for the bottom part of the rotation.
The game is on FOX as part of a Saturday night special. But, it'll mean I get the Subway Series. Oh well. Enjoy it for those of you that can watch it.
Didn't matter with Chad Billingsley on the mound.
Billingsley was awesome in limiting the Tigers to one run over seven innings. A productive middle three innings was enough for the Dodgers to take the interleague opener, 4-1.
With the Padres getting steamrolled in Seattle (even with Cliff Lee having an off night), the Dodgers have moved into a first-place tie with the Pads. But the Dodgers have won five of six from them this season, giving them the tiebreaker. I have no idea if that even matters, but in my mind it's good enough. So there.
Like the pattern has been the last few games, the opposition scored a run in the first, then got shut down the rest of the way. Austin Jackson hit one in front of a slow-motion Manny for a leadoff double. A groundout and a sac-fly RBI from Magglio Ordonez later, and the Tigers led 1-0.
Dontrelle Willis was getting plenty of groundouts through the first part of the order. But in the fourth, the Dodgers starting getting baserunners on. It all started with two outs. Matt Kemp singled and took second on a wild pitch. Walks to Blake and Reed Johnson loaded the bases.
Nick Green got a rare start at second, as he was a mere 0-for-5 coming into this game. He did the smartest thing he could - he got beaned in the foot to force in a run. Actually, it kind of looked like he did, but it was close. Nonetheless, it forced in the tying run. A.J. Ellis hit a liner that was snared at second to end it.
With Bills in full control, the Dodgers got his back by tacking on a couple in the fifth. Jamey Carroll hit in the leadoff spot and walked with one out. Ronnie Belliard doubled for runners in scoring position. With Manny up, a wild pitch easily allowed Carroll to score. Manny then hit a hard one off of Brandon Inge's foot for an RBI single, making it 3-1.
Ellis took advantage of his once-in-a-blue-moon start by hitting an RBI single in the sixth to score Johnson. Speaking of Johnson, he started in right and played great, going 3-for-3 with a walk and run scored.
Four runs was more than enough with the pitching being so good on this night. Billingsley ended with seven innings, four hits, one run, two walks, and five strikeouts. He had some deep counts early in the game, but made big pitches to wiggle out of trouble.
The bullpen was again great. Ronald Belisario pitched a scoreless eighth, and Jonathan Broxton struck out the side for his ninth save. Broxton now has a 1.02 ERA to go along with 27 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.
Back on May 5, the Dodgers lost 11-3 to the Brewers. Their record was 11-16, and they pretty much looked like crap. Since then, they've won 13 of 15 to push their record to 24-18. The offense has busted out plenty of runs in some games, but the streak is mostly because of pitching and defense. That's the Dodger-like formula for winning.
Tonight's game is a good matchup of young hurlers, as John Ely takes on Armando Galarraga. Since being recalled on May 10 when Charlie Haeger went on the DL, Ely's given up five runs in 19 2/3 innings. He's been everything and more for the bottom part of the rotation.
The game is on FOX as part of a Saturday night special. But, it'll mean I get the Subway Series. Oh well. Enjoy it for those of you that can watch it.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Tigers interested in trading for Pierre
Believe it or not, there is interest out there for Juan Pierre and his remaining contract of two years and $18.5 million. The Tigers appear to be leading the charge.
After trading away Curtis Granderson to the Yankees for pitching help, an outfield spot is now wide open. Hence, Pierre can get what he wanted: a starting gig in the outfield.
Here's what needs to happen. The Tigers have plenty of overpaid, broken down starting pitchers themselves (Dontrelle Willis, Jeremy Bonderman, and Nate Robertson). The Dodgers don't want anything to do with that, especially after the Jason Schmidt debacle they just suffered through the last three years.
To make this deal happen, the Tigers would again need to swing a three-way deal. It's unclear if another team is in on this or if the Tigers have even pursued it yet.
Look, Pierre deserves to start. We can point to his huge contract all we want, but he showed last season during Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension how valuable he can be. He deserves better than occasionally starting and being a late-inning replacement.
The problem is that his role will continue to be that with the Dodgers. Manny's back, and Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier each had career years and are only getting better. Pierre is again the odd man out.
After the season I may not have been crazy about trading Pierre away. I liked the weapon he became off the bench. But with Randy Wolf gone, and most likely Jone Garland and Vicente Padilla, the Dodgers need starters. If they can get one, I'd swing the deal.
After trading away Curtis Granderson to the Yankees for pitching help, an outfield spot is now wide open. Hence, Pierre can get what he wanted: a starting gig in the outfield.
Here's what needs to happen. The Tigers have plenty of overpaid, broken down starting pitchers themselves (Dontrelle Willis, Jeremy Bonderman, and Nate Robertson). The Dodgers don't want anything to do with that, especially after the Jason Schmidt debacle they just suffered through the last three years.
To make this deal happen, the Tigers would again need to swing a three-way deal. It's unclear if another team is in on this or if the Tigers have even pursued it yet.
Look, Pierre deserves to start. We can point to his huge contract all we want, but he showed last season during Manny Ramirez's 50-game suspension how valuable he can be. He deserves better than occasionally starting and being a late-inning replacement.
The problem is that his role will continue to be that with the Dodgers. Manny's back, and Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier each had career years and are only getting better. Pierre is again the odd man out.
After the season I may not have been crazy about trading Pierre away. I liked the weapon he became off the bench. But with Randy Wolf gone, and most likely Jone Garland and Vicente Padilla, the Dodgers need starters. If they can get one, I'd swing the deal.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Rain is Dodgers worst enemy
Clayton Kershaw pitched through the first 4 innings by giving up no runs on only 2 hits. At 65 pitches, he had plenty left in the tank to try and lift the Dodgers to avoid a sweep.
And then the rain came, and it turned out to be the worst possible thing to happen.
Not wanting their young gun to rev it up again after a 47 minute delay, Chan Ho Park was given the ball and was unmercifully bombed for 5 runs on 8 hits in 1.1 IP. Marcus Thames and Brandon Inge hit consecutive shots to open the 6th that eventually chased Park. As good as he's been out of the 'pen this year, he was horrible today, which is exactly what the Dodgers could not afford.
The offense was lifeless as usual through 8 innings, but to their credit, they really made a run in the 9th. Blake DeWitt singled to open the inning, and Russell Martin hit one out to go down 5-2. James Loney singled, and the Tigers' closer Todd Jones then came in. Matt Kemp singled to put 2 men on. After an Andre Ethier flyout for 1 down, Jeff Kent pinch-hit and singled home Loney to cut the lead to 2. Delwyn Young then pinch-hit but flied out for 2 down. A wild pitch scored Kemp and put Kent on 2nd, and it was only a 1 run game.
Juan Pierre had a chance to be a hero and tie the game. Do you think he got the job done? Ya... I didn't think so either. A lazy pop out to center ended the game.
It would have been nice to have seen Kershaw get his 1st career win, but the offense and the rain would not cooperate. Simply put, the Dodgers are just plain horrible right now and probably couldn't beat their own minor league teams. If they hit the ball, they can't pitch. If they get strong pitching, they can't hit. Or they can't hit or pitch. Pick your case and that's how it's been going. Joe Torre has got to wonder what in the world he got himself into.
After taking Monday off to travel, the Dodgers will be in Cincinnati Tuesday. Chad Billingsley gets the start in the first game. The Reds pretty much stink too, and were just slapped around by the Red Sox today. It's a battle to see which team sucks worse than the other.
And then the rain came, and it turned out to be the worst possible thing to happen.
Not wanting their young gun to rev it up again after a 47 minute delay, Chan Ho Park was given the ball and was unmercifully bombed for 5 runs on 8 hits in 1.1 IP. Marcus Thames and Brandon Inge hit consecutive shots to open the 6th that eventually chased Park. As good as he's been out of the 'pen this year, he was horrible today, which is exactly what the Dodgers could not afford.
The offense was lifeless as usual through 8 innings, but to their credit, they really made a run in the 9th. Blake DeWitt singled to open the inning, and Russell Martin hit one out to go down 5-2. James Loney singled, and the Tigers' closer Todd Jones then came in. Matt Kemp singled to put 2 men on. After an Andre Ethier flyout for 1 down, Jeff Kent pinch-hit and singled home Loney to cut the lead to 2. Delwyn Young then pinch-hit but flied out for 2 down. A wild pitch scored Kemp and put Kent on 2nd, and it was only a 1 run game.
Juan Pierre had a chance to be a hero and tie the game. Do you think he got the job done? Ya... I didn't think so either. A lazy pop out to center ended the game.
It would have been nice to have seen Kershaw get his 1st career win, but the offense and the rain would not cooperate. Simply put, the Dodgers are just plain horrible right now and probably couldn't beat their own minor league teams. If they hit the ball, they can't pitch. If they get strong pitching, they can't hit. Or they can't hit or pitch. Pick your case and that's how it's been going. Joe Torre has got to wonder what in the world he got himself into.
After taking Monday off to travel, the Dodgers will be in Cincinnati Tuesday. Chad Billingsley gets the start in the first game. The Reds pretty much stink too, and were just slapped around by the Red Sox today. It's a battle to see which team sucks worse than the other.
At least the offense woke up
That's the only positive from this last game against the Detroit Tigers. On a day where the offense did their best to break the slump, Brad Penny was miserable. The Tigers took the win, 12-7.
It was a bit of a different look at the plate, with Blake DeWitt hitting 2nd, James Loney cleanup, and Matt Kemp 7th (Delwyn Young DH'd and hit 8th). For one day at least, it worked. Kemp hit an infield single to score Loney in the 2nd for a 1-0 lead. The 4th brought more runs on an Andre Ethier ground rule double to score Jeff Kent and Loney, and a single by Young for a 4-1 lead.
And then came the bottom of the 4th, and boy did the wheels fall off the bus for Brad Penny.
Saying before the game that he had discomfort in his throwing shoulder but wanted to gut it out anyway, the Tigers just teed off on him. Homers by Miguel Cabrera and Marcus Thames, and back-to-back triples by the 1-2 hitters of Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco gave the Tigers a 6 spot and a 7-4 edge.
Still, it was a pretty close game... right up until the next inning where the Tigers scored 3 more with lots of help from Angel Berroa's throwing error. So not only is he giving runs to the other team, but he's hitting a blistering .167 since he's come. Yes, Ned Colletti, this guy is really making a difference (for the other team).
I'll give credit to Ethier for at least trying to make it look like a close game, as he homered in the 6th. Juan Pierre hit an RBI groundout to cut it to 10-7. That's as close as it would get for LA, as the Tigers tacked on 2 more to close the game out.
So it pretty much figures - the day the offense comes alive, the pitching and defense is horrible. I've got to believe that there's something physically wrong with Penny. I know he's been atrocious, but you simply can't go from 2 straight All-Star game appearances to looking this bad without something funny going on. A trip to the DL would probably be for the better.
While the offense did much better, Pierre did not. We're slowly but surely seeing the Pierre of old, as his OBP is now at .336 after hovering in the .360 range in May. He hasn't taken a walk since June 6, which is pretty hard to do considering he's a leadoff hitter. Maybe DeWitt should get a crack at that spot. I don't know... just trying to think of something.
Clayton Kershaw will look for his first win of the year today. Maybe he's the guy to stop the red-hot offense of the Tigers. Who knows.
It was a bit of a different look at the plate, with Blake DeWitt hitting 2nd, James Loney cleanup, and Matt Kemp 7th (Delwyn Young DH'd and hit 8th). For one day at least, it worked. Kemp hit an infield single to score Loney in the 2nd for a 1-0 lead. The 4th brought more runs on an Andre Ethier ground rule double to score Jeff Kent and Loney, and a single by Young for a 4-1 lead.
And then came the bottom of the 4th, and boy did the wheels fall off the bus for Brad Penny.
Saying before the game that he had discomfort in his throwing shoulder but wanted to gut it out anyway, the Tigers just teed off on him. Homers by Miguel Cabrera and Marcus Thames, and back-to-back triples by the 1-2 hitters of Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco gave the Tigers a 6 spot and a 7-4 edge.
Still, it was a pretty close game... right up until the next inning where the Tigers scored 3 more with lots of help from Angel Berroa's throwing error. So not only is he giving runs to the other team, but he's hitting a blistering .167 since he's come. Yes, Ned Colletti, this guy is really making a difference (for the other team).
I'll give credit to Ethier for at least trying to make it look like a close game, as he homered in the 6th. Juan Pierre hit an RBI groundout to cut it to 10-7. That's as close as it would get for LA, as the Tigers tacked on 2 more to close the game out.
So it pretty much figures - the day the offense comes alive, the pitching and defense is horrible. I've got to believe that there's something physically wrong with Penny. I know he's been atrocious, but you simply can't go from 2 straight All-Star game appearances to looking this bad without something funny going on. A trip to the DL would probably be for the better.
While the offense did much better, Pierre did not. We're slowly but surely seeing the Pierre of old, as his OBP is now at .336 after hovering in the .360 range in May. He hasn't taken a walk since June 6, which is pretty hard to do considering he's a leadoff hitter. Maybe DeWitt should get a crack at that spot. I don't know... just trying to think of something.
Clayton Kershaw will look for his first win of the year today. Maybe he's the guy to stop the red-hot offense of the Tigers. Who knows.
Friday, June 13, 2008
23 innings of no runs
Just when you thought the Dodgers' offense couldn't possibly get any worse, they do.
The scoreless streak is now at a whopping 23 innings as the Detroit Tigers dismantled them tonight, 5-0. I doubt the Tigers even needed to do so much as stretch to prepare for this one. That's how abysmal the Dodgers are these days.
Derek Lowe pitches his ass off again, but it doesn't matter. He goes 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, and he wasn't even close to getting the win. Nope, not when your offense is a complete disgrace and embarrassment to the league. It's another horrendous performance from the worst offensive team in baseball... by far.
I absolutely cannot wait for the day the Dodgers are fun to watch. And by fun I don't even necessarily mean win. Every damn game is the same old crap - weak, pitiful offense, while the pitching breaks their backs trying to carry the team, to no avail. These losers are harder to watch than soccer.
A grand total of 4 baserunners were on today. FOUR FREAKIN' RUNNERS. I honestly think Little Leaguers could do better. In fact, I know they can.
The bottom line is this team has no heart, no passion, and no desire to be a winning ballclub. They may talk like they do, but any team that hasn't scored 1 time in the last 23 innings is obviously just blowing smoke. They suck.
Brad Penny takes the mound Saturday afternoon, and it really doesn't matter whether or not he pitches well. The offense will inevitably let him down anyway. Eddie Bonine makes his first career start for the Tigers. So basically, it'll be his first career win.
The scoreless streak is now at a whopping 23 innings as the Detroit Tigers dismantled them tonight, 5-0. I doubt the Tigers even needed to do so much as stretch to prepare for this one. That's how abysmal the Dodgers are these days.
Derek Lowe pitches his ass off again, but it doesn't matter. He goes 7 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, and he wasn't even close to getting the win. Nope, not when your offense is a complete disgrace and embarrassment to the league. It's another horrendous performance from the worst offensive team in baseball... by far.
I absolutely cannot wait for the day the Dodgers are fun to watch. And by fun I don't even necessarily mean win. Every damn game is the same old crap - weak, pitiful offense, while the pitching breaks their backs trying to carry the team, to no avail. These losers are harder to watch than soccer.
A grand total of 4 baserunners were on today. FOUR FREAKIN' RUNNERS. I honestly think Little Leaguers could do better. In fact, I know they can.
The bottom line is this team has no heart, no passion, and no desire to be a winning ballclub. They may talk like they do, but any team that hasn't scored 1 time in the last 23 innings is obviously just blowing smoke. They suck.
Brad Penny takes the mound Saturday afternoon, and it really doesn't matter whether or not he pitches well. The offense will inevitably let him down anyway. Eddie Bonine makes his first career start for the Tigers. So basically, it'll be his first career win.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)