No disrespect to Masahiro Tanaka, but I'm glad the Dodgers didn't get him.
Not for that price. Not even for a mega-rich team like the Dodgers.
For those of you who don't know, Japan's best pitcher decided to don the Yankee pinstripes for the next seven seasons and $155 million today. He'll get an opt-out after four seasons and a full no-trade clause. Not too shabby for a guy who has yet to make one big league pitch.
Look, would Tanaka have helped the Dodgers? Absolutely. If he signed, then the top four of their rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Tanaka would be deadly. There isn't a weak pitcher in that bunch, and you can legitimately say the Dodgers are favorites to beat almost anybody four out of five games.
But even though money is not an object in LA, they're still better off not giving ANOTHER huge contract to a pitcher. Just look at what the top three in the rotation are raking in: Kershaw - seven years and $215 million, Greinke - six years and $147 million, Ryu - six years and $36 million. Heck, even Chad Billingsley has one year left on his three-year, $35 million deal, with an option for 2015.
If you add up all the bucks, it's $433 million. Oh, and how about the $17 million for each of the past two seasons the Dodgers have been paying Josh Beckett since he came over in August of 2012 from the Red Sox. That's $34 million, bumping the total up to $467 million.
Do I even want to remind all of you about Brandon League's HORRIFIC three-year, $22.5 million deal that still has two years remaining? Sorry, but I had to go there.
The bottom line is that as good of a player as Tanaka could end up being, the Dodgers have more than committed enough money to the pitching side of the equation. Now they need to take that reported $100+ million they offered Tanaka and use it on the offense.
How about extending Hanley Ramirez? Yes, that comes with a risk, but it's hard to deny how impactful his bat was in the lineup last season. Perhaps the Dodgers show good faith in him by rewarding him with a deal before Spring Training.
In looking at the list of players in their "contract year," about the only ones who jump out are Billy Butler, Adam Lind, Chase Headley, and Aramis Ramirez. Not exactly the most exciting players, but ones who have shown some good to really good power. If any of them are on the trading block during the season, the Dodgers are definitely a team that could offer up the cash to take on a contract or two.
Best of luck to Tanaka in New York, as the Yankees are really trying to find superstars now that Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, and Alex Rodriguez are all gone for one reason or another, and Derek Jeter appears to be on his last legs of life. But in the end, I'm glad the Dodgers came up short.
That could lead them to coming out big in the end.
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Yankees. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Dodgers fall apart late as Yankees get one back
The pitching duel between old teammates Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda lived up to all the hype, as the Dodgers and Yankees found themselves scoreless heading into the ninth. Like the night before, the game would come down to a battle of the bullpens.
Well, when you take a look at the box score and see the name "Mariano Rivera" as one of the Yankees' pitchers, I think we both know who was in a position to win.
The Dodgers fell victim to a missed call on a check swing by Lyle Overbay, which led to a game-winning RBI single off of Paco Rodriguez. Then Mark Ellis, the hero from the night before, committed a horrible two-run error on a dropped pop-up, and the Yankees cruised to a win, 3-0. Each team split all four games this season.
Simply put, Kershaw and Kuroda were just awesome, as neither was willing to give an inch. Each team had chances here and there in the early part of the game, but once they got settled in, forget about it. They were practically untouchable, combining for 15 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts.
The Yankees put two on in the second on singles by Vernon Wells and Brent Lillibridge, but they were both stranded. Andre Ethier singled in the bottom half, but was erased on a double play ball from A.J. Ellis.
There wasn't a whole lot going on in the middle part of the game, but the Dodgers wasted a golden opportunity to score in the seventh. Adrian Gonzalez singled leading off on a ball past first baseman Lillibridge. I guess Gonzo thought it was a surefire double, because he rounded first and was thrown out by Wells in right by about five steps. It was a very uncharacteristic mistake by Gonzalez, who runs like a piano is on his back.
With two outs, Ethier and Ellis both singled, but Skip Schumaker struck out to end the inning. That's right - three hits, no runs. Ugh.
Kershaw stayed on to pitch the eighth and gave up a couple of innocent singles to Chris Stewart and Melky Mesa, then got Brett Gardner to fly to left to end the threat. Boone Logan allowed a couple baserunners in the bottom of the frame, but again the Yankees got the big out when Gonzalez flew out to end the threat.
That brought the scoreless game to the ninth, where the Dodgers completely came undone. Ronald Belisario started it all by walking Derek Jeter, but did get the next two hitters to ground into forceouts at second. Ichiro pinch-hit and was intentionally walked.
Belisario gave way to Rodriguez to pitch to the lefty Overbay. With two strikes, Overbay apparently checked his swing, although replays clearly showed he didn't. And wouldn't you know, Overbay hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0. That was only the beginning, as Ellis ranged into right field on a pop-up from Jayson Nix, yet dropped it with Yasiel Puig breathing down his neck, allowing two runs to score.
It's no surprise that Rivera completely dominated the Dodgers for his 34th save. With three runs to play with, there's no way in the world he was going to blow it. Then again, the score could've been .001-0 and Rivera still would've gotten the save. Newsflash - he's automatic.
I think at this point we're so used to seeing the Dodgers play the right way, it was almost shocking to see them make the mistakes they did, from Gonzalez's horrendous baserunning gaffe to Ellis dropping a fly ball. Then again, if third base umpire Bill Miller rang up Overbay on the check swing, this all wouldn't have happened. But he didn't, Don Mattingly got ejected in between innings, and the Yankees made all the plays to win.
Even in the loss, this was a fun two-game series. The crowd was packed like a playoff game, and there was definitely an energy to them. The Yankees only come to Dodger Stadium once every few years, so it was good to see guys like Jeter and Rivera for probably the last time. At least the Dodgers got a split.
There's no rest for the leaders in the NL West as they travel to play the Cubs in historic Wrigley Field for four starting Thursday. Ricky Nolasco gets the call.
Well, when you take a look at the box score and see the name "Mariano Rivera" as one of the Yankees' pitchers, I think we both know who was in a position to win.
The Dodgers fell victim to a missed call on a check swing by Lyle Overbay, which led to a game-winning RBI single off of Paco Rodriguez. Then Mark Ellis, the hero from the night before, committed a horrible two-run error on a dropped pop-up, and the Yankees cruised to a win, 3-0. Each team split all four games this season.
Simply put, Kershaw and Kuroda were just awesome, as neither was willing to give an inch. Each team had chances here and there in the early part of the game, but once they got settled in, forget about it. They were practically untouchable, combining for 15 shutout innings with 13 strikeouts.
The Yankees put two on in the second on singles by Vernon Wells and Brent Lillibridge, but they were both stranded. Andre Ethier singled in the bottom half, but was erased on a double play ball from A.J. Ellis.
There wasn't a whole lot going on in the middle part of the game, but the Dodgers wasted a golden opportunity to score in the seventh. Adrian Gonzalez singled leading off on a ball past first baseman Lillibridge. I guess Gonzo thought it was a surefire double, because he rounded first and was thrown out by Wells in right by about five steps. It was a very uncharacteristic mistake by Gonzalez, who runs like a piano is on his back.
With two outs, Ethier and Ellis both singled, but Skip Schumaker struck out to end the inning. That's right - three hits, no runs. Ugh.
Kershaw stayed on to pitch the eighth and gave up a couple of innocent singles to Chris Stewart and Melky Mesa, then got Brett Gardner to fly to left to end the threat. Boone Logan allowed a couple baserunners in the bottom of the frame, but again the Yankees got the big out when Gonzalez flew out to end the threat.
That brought the scoreless game to the ninth, where the Dodgers completely came undone. Ronald Belisario started it all by walking Derek Jeter, but did get the next two hitters to ground into forceouts at second. Ichiro pinch-hit and was intentionally walked.
Belisario gave way to Rodriguez to pitch to the lefty Overbay. With two strikes, Overbay apparently checked his swing, although replays clearly showed he didn't. And wouldn't you know, Overbay hit an RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0. That was only the beginning, as Ellis ranged into right field on a pop-up from Jayson Nix, yet dropped it with Yasiel Puig breathing down his neck, allowing two runs to score.
It's no surprise that Rivera completely dominated the Dodgers for his 34th save. With three runs to play with, there's no way in the world he was going to blow it. Then again, the score could've been .001-0 and Rivera still would've gotten the save. Newsflash - he's automatic.
I think at this point we're so used to seeing the Dodgers play the right way, it was almost shocking to see them make the mistakes they did, from Gonzalez's horrendous baserunning gaffe to Ellis dropping a fly ball. Then again, if third base umpire Bill Miller rang up Overbay on the check swing, this all wouldn't have happened. But he didn't, Don Mattingly got ejected in between innings, and the Yankees made all the plays to win.
Even in the loss, this was a fun two-game series. The crowd was packed like a playoff game, and there was definitely an energy to them. The Yankees only come to Dodger Stadium once every few years, so it was good to see guys like Jeter and Rivera for probably the last time. At least the Dodgers got a split.
There's no rest for the leaders in the NL West as they travel to play the Cubs in historic Wrigley Field for four starting Thursday. Ricky Nolasco gets the call.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Stars align in another Dodgers' walk-off
The stars were everywhere in Dodger Stadium on Tuesday night. In the crowd there were the likes of Mel Brooks, Jack Nicholson, George Lopez, Magic Johnson, Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Chris Paul. On the field, Zack Greinke and Andy Pettitte dueled, and Yasiel Puig, Hanley Ramirez, Derek Jeter, and Alfonso Soriano took their hacks.
Leave it to the bland, no-thrills Mark Ellis to steal the show.
Ellis's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth scored Andre Ethier, as the Dodgers beat the Yankees, 3-2. Each game these incredible numbers get bumped up by one, so it's now 10-1 since the break, 19 wins in July (one short of a team record), and 27-6 in the last 33.
Most importantly, thanks for the Rays taking apart the Diamondbacks 5-2, it's a 3 1/2 game lead in the NL West.
Early on, it looked like both offenses would put up big nights, but that changed after the second inning when Greinke and Pettitte got locked in. In the first, Puig came just short of homering to dead center, settling for a double off the wall. He moved to third on a flyout and scored on Ramirez's RBI single up the middle.
The Yankees came right back in the second. The theme of this Yankees' season has been finding old guys or unknowns to replace stars like Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, and Jeter. Lyle Overbay is one of those replacements, and he hit a solo homer to right to start the inning, making it 1-1.
No worries, said Juan Uribe, who left his mark in the bottom of the frame. With one out, he absolutely unloaded on a solo shot to left, traveling 426 feet for a rare upper deck shot, and the Dodgers were back up 2-1.
Overbay was again responsible for tying the game, as the Yanks made it 2-2 in the fourth. It started on a leadoff double by Soriano, who then went to third on a wild pitch. Overbay scored him on a groundout to deep short on a long throw by Ramirez.
That was the way the score would remain for much of the way, as neither offense could get anything going after the fourth. Pettitte ended up tossing seven innings of two-run ball, striking out three and not walking anyone. He hasn't been the same Pettitte as we're used to seeing in the past, but his change of speeds and location kept the Dodgers off-balance for the most part.
The game came down to a battle of the bullpens, as both Ronald Belisario and David Robertson were flawless in the eighth. Kenley Jansen was summoned on the ninth, and once again, he was practically untouchable with two K's. He continues to just blow through the competition.
At this point, the Dodgers hadn't put anything together since the third, and that's when Ichiro nailed Ramirez at home trying to score on A.J. Ellis's single to end the inning. In fact, in innings 4-8, the Dodgers only had two hits as Pettitte and Robertson had their way.
So here we were in the ninth, as the Dodgers had yet another chance to send the fans home happy. With Shawn Kelley in, Ethier singled to left with one out. Uribe swung about as hard as he possibly could, but struck out for the second out.
Don Mattingly knew that with the bottom of the order up, he'd have to get a little creative to get that winning run. So, he decided to let Ethier steal second, which is exactly what happened. Well... I think it should be pointed out that if Yankees' catcher Chris Stewart made even a decent throw, Ethier would've been out by four miles. But he didn't, so Ethier was in scoring position.
Next thing you know, Ellis gets the winning hit, and that was all she wrote.
This was just your latest example of how right things have been for the Dodgers since the end of June. Simply put, they can barely do anything wrong. Need a big start on the mound? Check. Need some innings from middle relief? Check. Need the bottom part of the order to get big hits? Check. Pretty much anything else that's been needed has been check, check, check.
Greinke was a bit off at first, but ended up putting together a solid night. He lasted seven innings for five hits, two runs, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Six starts ago he had a 4.30 ERA. Now it's down to 3.43, and he definitely looks like the ace the Dodgers wanted to pair with Clayton Kershaw.
Speaking of Kershaw, the Cy Young front runner will get the ball on Wednesday. It will be a great game as he faces his old mate, Hiroki Kuroda. Usually when you see two studs starting on the mound you expect a low-scoring game, and then the opposite happens. I'd be shocked if that occurred, as both guys are at the top of their games.
Leave it to the bland, no-thrills Mark Ellis to steal the show.
Ellis's walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth scored Andre Ethier, as the Dodgers beat the Yankees, 3-2. Each game these incredible numbers get bumped up by one, so it's now 10-1 since the break, 19 wins in July (one short of a team record), and 27-6 in the last 33.
Most importantly, thanks for the Rays taking apart the Diamondbacks 5-2, it's a 3 1/2 game lead in the NL West.
Early on, it looked like both offenses would put up big nights, but that changed after the second inning when Greinke and Pettitte got locked in. In the first, Puig came just short of homering to dead center, settling for a double off the wall. He moved to third on a flyout and scored on Ramirez's RBI single up the middle.
The Yankees came right back in the second. The theme of this Yankees' season has been finding old guys or unknowns to replace stars like Mark Teixeira, Curtis Granderson, Alex Rodriguez, and Jeter. Lyle Overbay is one of those replacements, and he hit a solo homer to right to start the inning, making it 1-1.
No worries, said Juan Uribe, who left his mark in the bottom of the frame. With one out, he absolutely unloaded on a solo shot to left, traveling 426 feet for a rare upper deck shot, and the Dodgers were back up 2-1.
Overbay was again responsible for tying the game, as the Yanks made it 2-2 in the fourth. It started on a leadoff double by Soriano, who then went to third on a wild pitch. Overbay scored him on a groundout to deep short on a long throw by Ramirez.
That was the way the score would remain for much of the way, as neither offense could get anything going after the fourth. Pettitte ended up tossing seven innings of two-run ball, striking out three and not walking anyone. He hasn't been the same Pettitte as we're used to seeing in the past, but his change of speeds and location kept the Dodgers off-balance for the most part.
The game came down to a battle of the bullpens, as both Ronald Belisario and David Robertson were flawless in the eighth. Kenley Jansen was summoned on the ninth, and once again, he was practically untouchable with two K's. He continues to just blow through the competition.
At this point, the Dodgers hadn't put anything together since the third, and that's when Ichiro nailed Ramirez at home trying to score on A.J. Ellis's single to end the inning. In fact, in innings 4-8, the Dodgers only had two hits as Pettitte and Robertson had their way.
So here we were in the ninth, as the Dodgers had yet another chance to send the fans home happy. With Shawn Kelley in, Ethier singled to left with one out. Uribe swung about as hard as he possibly could, but struck out for the second out.
Don Mattingly knew that with the bottom of the order up, he'd have to get a little creative to get that winning run. So, he decided to let Ethier steal second, which is exactly what happened. Well... I think it should be pointed out that if Yankees' catcher Chris Stewart made even a decent throw, Ethier would've been out by four miles. But he didn't, so Ethier was in scoring position.
Next thing you know, Ellis gets the winning hit, and that was all she wrote.
This was just your latest example of how right things have been for the Dodgers since the end of June. Simply put, they can barely do anything wrong. Need a big start on the mound? Check. Need some innings from middle relief? Check. Need the bottom part of the order to get big hits? Check. Pretty much anything else that's been needed has been check, check, check.
Greinke was a bit off at first, but ended up putting together a solid night. He lasted seven innings for five hits, two runs, no walks, and seven strikeouts. Six starts ago he had a 4.30 ERA. Now it's down to 3.43, and he definitely looks like the ace the Dodgers wanted to pair with Clayton Kershaw.
Speaking of Kershaw, the Cy Young front runner will get the ball on Wednesday. It will be a great game as he faces his old mate, Hiroki Kuroda. Usually when you see two studs starting on the mound you expect a low-scoring game, and then the opposite happens. I'd be shocked if that occurred, as both guys are at the top of their games.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Dodgers. Yankees. This should be fun
After the Dodgers disposed of the Reds in three straight to run their post-All-Star break record to 9-1, all of the attention shifts to their upcoming two-game tilt against the Yankees in Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers will send their big dogs of Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw to the mound. The Yankees counter with Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda.
Simply put, if you're a fan of baseball, this is going to be a lot of fun.
The day-night doubleheader back in June at Yankee Stadium was also fun, mostly because the Dodgers were the last National League team to play there since the advent of Interleague play. Which, by the way, begs the question of who in the world allowed that to happen? Anyway, Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez put on a show, allowing the Dodgers to get the split.
This time around, all of the big guns (save for C.C. Sabathia) will be on the mound. The previous series saw the Dodgers start Hyun-Jin Ryu and Chris Capuano, while the Yankees had Kuroda and Phil Hughes. I think it's safe to say we're all glad Greinke and Kershaw will be featured this time. No disrespect to Ryu and Capuano, who have pitched very well recently, but the star power will be on display this time around.
We all know how awesome the Dodgers have been, and it really all started with that win in the night game in Yankee Stadium. If you recall, Puig homered, stole a base, and scored three times; Ramirez had two hits and two RBIs. The Dodgers dropped the next two in San Diego, but then ran off six straight wins and never looked back. Overall, since that win over the Yankees, they've gone 27-8. Wow.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are right in the thick of all sorts of drama involving the drama queen himself, Alex Rodriguez. Can you imagine if ARod gets suspended during this series? Actually, it could very well happen. Then the media scrutiny will be cranked up that many more notches.
On the field, the Yankees are 55-50, good for fourth in the ultra-tough AL East. Derek Jeter just returned, so it'll be good to see him on the field this time, as he missed the last series. Plus they recently welcomed back Alfonso Soriano, and he responded with a walk-off single on Sunday. So, despite the ARod nonsense, they appear to be on the upswing a bit, even if their record is still just so-so.
It's hard not to look at Wednesday's game as the main event. Tuesday will be Greinke vs. Pettitte, and while that's a good matchup, Pettitte has been regressing as the season has progressed. Wednesday will be Kershaw vs. old friend Kuroda, who certainly deserves a warm welcome in his return. He still remains one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, probably because he quietly goes about his business of posting one quality start after another.
The only downside to this series is what could have been on the injury front. Matt Kemp, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, and yes, even ARod will be missed. That's some serious power, so expect these games to be low-scoring with the great arms on the mound.
Even though the Yankees are no longer the mighty Yankees of years past, if the Dodgers sweep the two games, it will still be a great moment in a season that could see much greater moments in October.
The Dodgers will send their big dogs of Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw to the mound. The Yankees counter with Andy Pettitte and Hiroki Kuroda.
Simply put, if you're a fan of baseball, this is going to be a lot of fun.
The day-night doubleheader back in June at Yankee Stadium was also fun, mostly because the Dodgers were the last National League team to play there since the advent of Interleague play. Which, by the way, begs the question of who in the world allowed that to happen? Anyway, Yasiel Puig and Hanley Ramirez put on a show, allowing the Dodgers to get the split.
This time around, all of the big guns (save for C.C. Sabathia) will be on the mound. The previous series saw the Dodgers start Hyun-Jin Ryu and Chris Capuano, while the Yankees had Kuroda and Phil Hughes. I think it's safe to say we're all glad Greinke and Kershaw will be featured this time. No disrespect to Ryu and Capuano, who have pitched very well recently, but the star power will be on display this time around.
We all know how awesome the Dodgers have been, and it really all started with that win in the night game in Yankee Stadium. If you recall, Puig homered, stole a base, and scored three times; Ramirez had two hits and two RBIs. The Dodgers dropped the next two in San Diego, but then ran off six straight wins and never looked back. Overall, since that win over the Yankees, they've gone 27-8. Wow.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are right in the thick of all sorts of drama involving the drama queen himself, Alex Rodriguez. Can you imagine if ARod gets suspended during this series? Actually, it could very well happen. Then the media scrutiny will be cranked up that many more notches.
On the field, the Yankees are 55-50, good for fourth in the ultra-tough AL East. Derek Jeter just returned, so it'll be good to see him on the field this time, as he missed the last series. Plus they recently welcomed back Alfonso Soriano, and he responded with a walk-off single on Sunday. So, despite the ARod nonsense, they appear to be on the upswing a bit, even if their record is still just so-so.
It's hard not to look at Wednesday's game as the main event. Tuesday will be Greinke vs. Pettitte, and while that's a good matchup, Pettitte has been regressing as the season has progressed. Wednesday will be Kershaw vs. old friend Kuroda, who certainly deserves a warm welcome in his return. He still remains one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, probably because he quietly goes about his business of posting one quality start after another.
The only downside to this series is what could have been on the injury front. Matt Kemp, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira, and yes, even ARod will be missed. That's some serious power, so expect these games to be low-scoring with the great arms on the mound.
Even though the Yankees are no longer the mighty Yankees of years past, if the Dodgers sweep the two games, it will still be a great moment in a season that could see much greater moments in October.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Puig stars in the bright lights of NYC
If the rest of the country hadn't had the chance to witness Yasiel Puig, a couple of games in Yankee Stadium on Wednesday told them everything they needed to know.
Simply put, Puig was awesome in the day-night doubleheader. He collected a couple of hits in each game, to go along with four runs, a solo homer, a double, and a stolen base. After dropping the afternoon game thanks to four errors by some of the bums around him, he led the charge in winning the nightcap, 6-0.
Dodger fans already know through 15 games of his young career how special he is, and how special he looks heading into the future. As for the rest of the country, unless you're a big fantasy baseball player, you may have heard about him, but hadn't witnessed the hype for yourself.
Wednesday night changed all of that.
The game was broadcast on ESPN2, which should come as no surprise considering the Yankees or Red Sox are always on ESPN. After showing highlights of the early game, which included Puig being thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into two, and of him trying to throw someone out at first on a single into right, the show was just getting started for him in the second game when he laid down a perfect bunt and soon scored in the first inning.
Following a strikeout in his second at-bat, Puig stepped back up in the fifth and was plunked by Phil Hughes, who's been awful this season. No problem, as he swiped second, went to third on a groundout, and scored on an RBI single by Hanley Ramirez, who had an awesome day himself with six total hits.
The last mark he left was the biggest one. Up 5-0 heading into the seventh, the Dodgers didn't fold for a change. They actually increased the lead, as Puig went opposite field for his fifth homer.
Peaking at his overall stats, it's hard not to get overly excited about what this guy has brought to the table. Through 15 games, he's hitting .474 with a .500 OBP and slugging .789. Throw in 11 runs, 3 doubles, 5 homers, 11 RBIs, and 2 steals, and you get the picture. Oh ya, he also has two outfield assists. He's done it all.
Now let's see if "Puig-Mania" will lead to more wins for the Dodgers. They're still languishing in last place of the NL West, where the division leader has the lowest winning percentage in baseball (Arizona at .542). Puig has been held hitless in only two games, but the Dodgers have a 7-8 record with him in the lineup. That's a testament to just how lousy the team around him has been.
But, if the Dodgers can start to turn things around, Puig will see his star rise even more. Think back to the arrival of Manny Ramirez in 2008. He helped catapult the Dodgers to the NLCS, which was not at all in the cards when he first got there. Manny got plenty of help along the way from guys like Rafael Furcal, Andre Ethier, and Takashi Saito, so Puig needs his boys to step up as well.
Is Puig another version of Mike Trout or Bryce Harper? He's already made the big splash, now let's see how he maintains it going forward. With his ability to display all five tools (hit for average, power, steal bases, catch and throw), I definitely like his chances. And I also like his chances of giving people something positive to talk about on the Dodgers, rather than the usual negativity that they've earned.
"Puig-Mania" is running wild, brother! Enjoy the ride!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
dodgErs losE in thEir rEturn to yankEE stadium
One day after the Dodgers and Yankees were rained out, delaying their much-anticipated matchup in Yankee Stadium for the first time since the 1981 World Series, both teams went at it on Wednesday afternoon in the first game of a day-night twinbill.
Maybe the Dodgers had a little too much fun in The City on Tuesday night.
A huge two-error play by Ronald Belisuckio in the eighth led to three runs for the Yankees, and despite a perfect day at the plate from Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers fell, 6-4. All in all, the Dodgers committed four errors, something good Little League teams don't even do. Or even bad ones. That's just awful.
Yasiel Puig may as well have been charged with an error in the first, as he singled to center with one out, then tried to stretch it to second and was thrown out by Brett Gardner. You have to respect his hustle, but not so much his intelligence on that one.
The Yankees got to Hyun-Jin Ryu in the second. Thomas Neal singled leading off, which Ichiro followed with an infield single. After David Adams sacrificed them both to scoring position, Lyle Overbay knocked them in with a two-run double, making it 2-0.
The Dodgers couldn't get anything going for the first part of the game. If they weren't meekly grounding out with runners on, they encountered some bad luck. In the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez singled and Ramirez doubled to start. Andre Ethier then laced one, but naturally it was gloved by Hiroki Kuroda, who flipped to third for the double play. Juan Uribe then grounded out.
Ichiro got into one in the sixth, as he hit his third homer of the season to make it 3-0. That was one of his three hits and three RBIs on the day.
The seventh inning finally brought some noise for the Dodgers. Ramirez started it with a single and Ethier walked. After Uribe popped up, Skip Schumaker singled to load the bases. A.J. Ellis hit a sac-fly RBI to right, and the Dodgers were on the board at 3-1.
Jerry Hairston then hit for Alex Castellanos, and he hit an RBI single to go down 3-2. Shawn Kelley relieved Kuroda and got Nick Punto swinging for the final out.
If the Dodgers felt good about getting back into this game, then they did everything possible to go right back to feeling like crap in the bottom of the frame. J.P. Howell entered the game for Ryu and gave up consecutive singles with one out. Not only was that a bad job in relief, but it also brought in Belisario.
My oh my was Belisario bad. Really, really bad. And you know what? He actually made the perfect pitch to Vernon Wells, who softly popped one back to the mound. Belisario appeared to intentionally let it hit the ground with the intention of turning a double play.
Good thinking, right? Wrong. The ball got away from him for an error. Then to make things worse, he fired the ball into centerfield, which allowed Jayson Nix to score and Robinson Cano to scamper to third. For the icing on the cake, Belisario beaned Neal on the next pitch, and the bases were loaded.
Paco Rodriguez was given the tough task of pitching to Ichiro with nowhere to put him, and a two-run single put the Yankees up 6-2. At least Paco got the next two to keep the score as is.
In the eighth, the Dodgers experienced both the joy and frustration of their beleaguered offense. After Puig beat out a double leading off, Ramirez lined a two-run tater to left to make it 6-4. David Robertson came in and walked Ethier and Uribe.
Schumaker had a 2-0 count, but soon popped up for the second out. Needing one more big hit, the Dodgers predictably couldn't do it, as Ellis grounded into a forceout.
It should come as no surprise that the greatest of all-time, Mariano Rivera, got the Dodgers in order for his 25th save. Puig struck out looking to end it.
Four errors in one game. A bullpen that turned a one-run deficit into four runs. Surprise, surprise, these are the reasons the Dodgers dropped the first game. The offense got some hits with runners on, but still could've done more. It's just more of the same.
Ryu wasn't too bad, as he lasted six innings for five hits, three runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. Obviously, he didn't get any help from the offense, which did not score during his time out there. Then the bullpen threw the ball away in more ways than one, so his record drops to 6-3.
The second game is coming up in about an hour from now as I type this. For fans who were clamoring to see a matchup of Clayton Kershaw vs. CC Sabathia... forget it. It's Chris Capuano vs. Phil Hughes instead.
Maybe the Dodgers had a little too much fun in The City on Tuesday night.
A huge two-error play by Ronald Belisuckio in the eighth led to three runs for the Yankees, and despite a perfect day at the plate from Hanley Ramirez, the Dodgers fell, 6-4. All in all, the Dodgers committed four errors, something good Little League teams don't even do. Or even bad ones. That's just awful.
Yasiel Puig may as well have been charged with an error in the first, as he singled to center with one out, then tried to stretch it to second and was thrown out by Brett Gardner. You have to respect his hustle, but not so much his intelligence on that one.
The Yankees got to Hyun-Jin Ryu in the second. Thomas Neal singled leading off, which Ichiro followed with an infield single. After David Adams sacrificed them both to scoring position, Lyle Overbay knocked them in with a two-run double, making it 2-0.
The Dodgers couldn't get anything going for the first part of the game. If they weren't meekly grounding out with runners on, they encountered some bad luck. In the fourth, Adrian Gonzalez singled and Ramirez doubled to start. Andre Ethier then laced one, but naturally it was gloved by Hiroki Kuroda, who flipped to third for the double play. Juan Uribe then grounded out.
Ichiro got into one in the sixth, as he hit his third homer of the season to make it 3-0. That was one of his three hits and three RBIs on the day.
The seventh inning finally brought some noise for the Dodgers. Ramirez started it with a single and Ethier walked. After Uribe popped up, Skip Schumaker singled to load the bases. A.J. Ellis hit a sac-fly RBI to right, and the Dodgers were on the board at 3-1.
Jerry Hairston then hit for Alex Castellanos, and he hit an RBI single to go down 3-2. Shawn Kelley relieved Kuroda and got Nick Punto swinging for the final out.
If the Dodgers felt good about getting back into this game, then they did everything possible to go right back to feeling like crap in the bottom of the frame. J.P. Howell entered the game for Ryu and gave up consecutive singles with one out. Not only was that a bad job in relief, but it also brought in Belisario.
My oh my was Belisario bad. Really, really bad. And you know what? He actually made the perfect pitch to Vernon Wells, who softly popped one back to the mound. Belisario appeared to intentionally let it hit the ground with the intention of turning a double play.
Good thinking, right? Wrong. The ball got away from him for an error. Then to make things worse, he fired the ball into centerfield, which allowed Jayson Nix to score and Robinson Cano to scamper to third. For the icing on the cake, Belisario beaned Neal on the next pitch, and the bases were loaded.
Paco Rodriguez was given the tough task of pitching to Ichiro with nowhere to put him, and a two-run single put the Yankees up 6-2. At least Paco got the next two to keep the score as is.
In the eighth, the Dodgers experienced both the joy and frustration of their beleaguered offense. After Puig beat out a double leading off, Ramirez lined a two-run tater to left to make it 6-4. David Robertson came in and walked Ethier and Uribe.
Schumaker had a 2-0 count, but soon popped up for the second out. Needing one more big hit, the Dodgers predictably couldn't do it, as Ellis grounded into a forceout.
It should come as no surprise that the greatest of all-time, Mariano Rivera, got the Dodgers in order for his 25th save. Puig struck out looking to end it.
Four errors in one game. A bullpen that turned a one-run deficit into four runs. Surprise, surprise, these are the reasons the Dodgers dropped the first game. The offense got some hits with runners on, but still could've done more. It's just more of the same.
Ryu wasn't too bad, as he lasted six innings for five hits, three runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. Obviously, he didn't get any help from the offense, which did not score during his time out there. Then the bullpen threw the ball away in more ways than one, so his record drops to 6-3.
The second game is coming up in about an hour from now as I type this. For fans who were clamoring to see a matchup of Clayton Kershaw vs. CC Sabathia... forget it. It's Chris Capuano vs. Phil Hughes instead.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Kuroda moves on to the Yankees
If signing Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang didn't make it official, this will: Hiroki Kuroda has agreed to join the Yankees with a one-year, $10 million deal. It's contingent on him passing a physical, which will happen soon.
That, my friends, ends the Kuroda Era in LA.
First, a look back at Kuroda's time in Dodger blue. He pitched four years, collecting 114 starts. His record was subpar at 41-46, but his numbers certainly were not. He finished with a 3.45 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 523 strikeouts. Last season was his best one, as despite a 13-16 record, he had a career-best 202 innings, 3.07 ERA, and 161 strikeouts.
I have some mixed feelings on this one. I want to make clear that I am a big Kuroda fan, as he was quietly one of the best pitchers in the majors these last few years. But he was also one of the hottest names to be dealt at the trade deadline this past year, and he exercised his no-trade clause to stay. That was a noble gesture, as he loved pitching in LA, but when it came to resigning in the offseason, they couldn't afford him.
So instead of agreeing to ship off to a contender in the last year of his contract, he stays and denies the Dodgers a chance at a couple of prospects at least. I wasn't too crazy about that then, and I'm even less crazy about it now. What do the Dodgers have to show for his departure? Nothing, thanks to that damn no-trade clause.
Make no mistake, Kuroda will make the Yankees a better team, and he's a definite upgrade over the scrubs they've had in that rotation recently (along with Michael Pineda, who was also acquired). I do think, however, that he'll definitely miss pitching against the Padres and Giants when he's matched up with the Red Sox and Rays. Any pitcher would say that, but I'd be shocked it he puts up a low-3 ERA like he did last year. That's just reality.
In the end, I'm very appreciative for all of Kuroda's efforts the last four seasons. I am disappointed the Dodgers didn't get a chance to build for the future at the trade deadline, though. That does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
That, my friends, ends the Kuroda Era in LA.
First, a look back at Kuroda's time in Dodger blue. He pitched four years, collecting 114 starts. His record was subpar at 41-46, but his numbers certainly were not. He finished with a 3.45 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 523 strikeouts. Last season was his best one, as despite a 13-16 record, he had a career-best 202 innings, 3.07 ERA, and 161 strikeouts.
I have some mixed feelings on this one. I want to make clear that I am a big Kuroda fan, as he was quietly one of the best pitchers in the majors these last few years. But he was also one of the hottest names to be dealt at the trade deadline this past year, and he exercised his no-trade clause to stay. That was a noble gesture, as he loved pitching in LA, but when it came to resigning in the offseason, they couldn't afford him.
So instead of agreeing to ship off to a contender in the last year of his contract, he stays and denies the Dodgers a chance at a couple of prospects at least. I wasn't too crazy about that then, and I'm even less crazy about it now. What do the Dodgers have to show for his departure? Nothing, thanks to that damn no-trade clause.
Make no mistake, Kuroda will make the Yankees a better team, and he's a definite upgrade over the scrubs they've had in that rotation recently (along with Michael Pineda, who was also acquired). I do think, however, that he'll definitely miss pitching against the Padres and Giants when he's matched up with the Red Sox and Rays. Any pitcher would say that, but I'd be shocked it he puts up a low-3 ERA like he did last year. That's just reality.
In the end, I'm very appreciative for all of Kuroda's efforts the last four seasons. I am disappointed the Dodgers didn't get a chance to build for the future at the trade deadline, though. That does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
Monday, June 28, 2010
An excruciating loss for the Dodgers
It may take a long time for the Dodgers to get over this one.
With everything going their way through eight innings on Sunday, Jonathan Broxton couldn't hold the lead, as the Yankees tied it up and went on to win in 10 innings, 8-6. The loss erased a great start from Clayton Kershaw, who was dazzling for seven innings.
One day after putting together a great effort in winning 9-4, the Dodgers scored the first five runs of the game. They had every reason to believe they would take two of three from the Yankees. Instead, they fell to 4-11 in interleague play, which mercifully ended today.
The Yankees' own blunders handed the Dodgers a couple of runs in the third. Reed Johnson started in place of the slumping Matt Kemp and doubled leading off. Kershaw laid down a bunt that went to Andy Pettitte, who then fired wide of third to let Johnson score.
Ronnie Belliard then bunted as well, and Pettitte's throw was low to first, sailing away to allow Kershaw to score for a 2-0 lead. A sac-fly RBI from Andre Ethier made it 3-0.
The next inning brought more runs for the Dodgers. Again, it was Johnson doubling to start. Kershaw again sacrificed him over to third, and Rafael Furcal hit a sac-fly RBI to make it 4-0. A solo shot by Belliard increased it to 5-0, and the Dodgers were in firm control.
Kershaw's only blemish of the night was in the sixth. Derek Jeter led off and singled. Following a couple of outs, Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to 5-2. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but that hit would sure pay off later.
The Dodgers picked up an insurance run (at least at the time) in the eighth. Jamey Carroll pinch-hit and singled, then stole second. A double from Raffy made it 6-2.
At this point, Joe Torre had the option of bringing in Ramon Troncoso or Jonathan Broxton in a non-save situation. He chose to go with Broxton. It didn't work.
No matter how you slice it, Broxton was just flat-out atrocious in melting down once again in a big game situation. He actually struck out Mark Teixeira pretty easily to lead off. Then it all went downhill. Hard.
A-Rod singled, went to second on fielder's indifference, and scored on Robinson Cano's double. Following a single by Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson walked to load the bases. Chad Huffman, who had all of one hit in eight career at-bats coming into this game, hit a two-run single to make it 6-5.
Next up was some guy named Colin Curtis. He had two hits in four career at-bats. Once again, the inexperience made no difference. But, it's not like home plate umpire Chris Guccione gave Broxton any help. With two strikes, there's no better way to describe the next pitch other than saying it was right down the middle and called a ball.
Curtis then grounded one to Loney at first. With Granderson streaking towards home, Loney must have had a temporary brain freeze by stepping on first for the out then trying to get the out at home. The throw was easily late, and the game was tied at 6-6.
Mariano Rivera got the Dodgers in order in the ninth. Teixeira singled off of Troncoso to start the 10th. Rodriguez forced him out at second for one out. In came George Sherrill to face Cano.
Do I even have to tell you if Sherrill got the big out? Well, I will anyway... he didn't. Cano launched a two-run shot that proved to be the game winner. Carroll grounded out to end the game.
The Dodgers have played like crap lately, but this has to be their worst loss this year. They had all the opportunities in the world to take two of three at home, and just choked it away. It was pathetic.
The Dodgers also have to be worried about Broxton. I don't care what his numbers say or how fast he throws. He just cannot close the door in big games. Twice in two years against the Phillies, and tonight against the Yankees. He throws hard stuff, but batters can foul them away because there's no movement. They just wait for him to make a mistake and pounce on it. And that's why he can't beat great teams.
Maybe people might think I'm overreacting to one bad outing, but if Broxton can't even hold a 6-2 lead against the bottom part of the order, that's just sad. He needs to shut the door in those situations, period. Not only does it take away a big win for a team desperately needing one, but it robs Kershaw of the win and recognition he deserves.
As for Sherrill, I think it may be time to pull the plug on him. He's proven that for whatever reason, he can't get hitters out anymore. He has a 6.75 ERA for crying out loud. With a perfect chance to keep the game tied, he gave up a monster homer. Inexcusable on his part.
I'm not sure how the Dodgers regroup from this, but they'll have to and fast. Next up is three games in San Francisco. The Giants are now in second place in the NL West. If there's any reason for optimism, it's that the Dodgers are 18-5 against the West. At this point, they'd rather see anyone other than the American League.
With everything going their way through eight innings on Sunday, Jonathan Broxton couldn't hold the lead, as the Yankees tied it up and went on to win in 10 innings, 8-6. The loss erased a great start from Clayton Kershaw, who was dazzling for seven innings.
One day after putting together a great effort in winning 9-4, the Dodgers scored the first five runs of the game. They had every reason to believe they would take two of three from the Yankees. Instead, they fell to 4-11 in interleague play, which mercifully ended today.
The Yankees' own blunders handed the Dodgers a couple of runs in the third. Reed Johnson started in place of the slumping Matt Kemp and doubled leading off. Kershaw laid down a bunt that went to Andy Pettitte, who then fired wide of third to let Johnson score.
Ronnie Belliard then bunted as well, and Pettitte's throw was low to first, sailing away to allow Kershaw to score for a 2-0 lead. A sac-fly RBI from Andre Ethier made it 3-0.
The next inning brought more runs for the Dodgers. Again, it was Johnson doubling to start. Kershaw again sacrificed him over to third, and Rafael Furcal hit a sac-fly RBI to make it 4-0. A solo shot by Belliard increased it to 5-0, and the Dodgers were in firm control.
Kershaw's only blemish of the night was in the sixth. Derek Jeter led off and singled. Following a couple of outs, Alex Rodriguez hit a two-run homer to cut the lead to 5-2. It didn't seem like a big deal at the time, but that hit would sure pay off later.
The Dodgers picked up an insurance run (at least at the time) in the eighth. Jamey Carroll pinch-hit and singled, then stole second. A double from Raffy made it 6-2.
At this point, Joe Torre had the option of bringing in Ramon Troncoso or Jonathan Broxton in a non-save situation. He chose to go with Broxton. It didn't work.
No matter how you slice it, Broxton was just flat-out atrocious in melting down once again in a big game situation. He actually struck out Mark Teixeira pretty easily to lead off. Then it all went downhill. Hard.
A-Rod singled, went to second on fielder's indifference, and scored on Robinson Cano's double. Following a single by Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson walked to load the bases. Chad Huffman, who had all of one hit in eight career at-bats coming into this game, hit a two-run single to make it 6-5.
Next up was some guy named Colin Curtis. He had two hits in four career at-bats. Once again, the inexperience made no difference. But, it's not like home plate umpire Chris Guccione gave Broxton any help. With two strikes, there's no better way to describe the next pitch other than saying it was right down the middle and called a ball.
Curtis then grounded one to Loney at first. With Granderson streaking towards home, Loney must have had a temporary brain freeze by stepping on first for the out then trying to get the out at home. The throw was easily late, and the game was tied at 6-6.
Mariano Rivera got the Dodgers in order in the ninth. Teixeira singled off of Troncoso to start the 10th. Rodriguez forced him out at second for one out. In came George Sherrill to face Cano.
Do I even have to tell you if Sherrill got the big out? Well, I will anyway... he didn't. Cano launched a two-run shot that proved to be the game winner. Carroll grounded out to end the game.
The Dodgers have played like crap lately, but this has to be their worst loss this year. They had all the opportunities in the world to take two of three at home, and just choked it away. It was pathetic.
The Dodgers also have to be worried about Broxton. I don't care what his numbers say or how fast he throws. He just cannot close the door in big games. Twice in two years against the Phillies, and tonight against the Yankees. He throws hard stuff, but batters can foul them away because there's no movement. They just wait for him to make a mistake and pounce on it. And that's why he can't beat great teams.
Maybe people might think I'm overreacting to one bad outing, but if Broxton can't even hold a 6-2 lead against the bottom part of the order, that's just sad. He needs to shut the door in those situations, period. Not only does it take away a big win for a team desperately needing one, but it robs Kershaw of the win and recognition he deserves.
As for Sherrill, I think it may be time to pull the plug on him. He's proven that for whatever reason, he can't get hitters out anymore. He has a 6.75 ERA for crying out loud. With a perfect chance to keep the game tied, he gave up a monster homer. Inexcusable on his part.
I'm not sure how the Dodgers regroup from this, but they'll have to and fast. Next up is three games in San Francisco. The Giants are now in second place in the NL West. If there's any reason for optimism, it's that the Dodgers are 18-5 against the West. At this point, they'd rather see anyone other than the American League.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Big offense helps Torre top the Yanks
One day after suffering through a 2-1 loss, the Dodgers quickly found themselves in a 3-0 hole. Rather than panicking, their offense went to work.
The Dodgers got production all throughout the lineup, highlighted by taking an amazing 10 walks, as they cruised over the Yankees, 9-4. The game took nearly four hours to complete, no doubt resembling a Yankees-Red Sox game.
Hiroki Kuroda has been a stud lately, and he started off the game with two quick strikes on Derek Jeter. But, Jeter eventually worked a walk, and that would be the beginning of trouble for Kuroda. Jeter stole second and went to third when Russell Martin's throw sailed into center.
Curtis Granderson drew a walk for two on and none out. Mark Teixeira then hit a three-run homer to right to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Already it was looking like a long night for the Dodgers.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, they were facing A.J. Burnett. When Burnett is one, he has some of the nastiest stuff in the game. But when he's not, he's a head case. Tonight was an off night, and the Dodgers capitalized.
Rafael Furcal led off with a single. After Matt Kemp struck out, Andre Ethier singled for runners on the corners. Manny Ramirez then lifted a ground rule double to right to make it 3-1. A sac-fly RBI by James Loney scored Ethier for a 3-2 game.
The top of the order again got to Kuroda in the third. Jeter and Granderson both singled to start. Last night's hero Alex Rodriguez then grounded one softly back to the mound. Kuroda hesitated for some reason, and Blake DeWitt's throw to second for the double play sailed away, scoring Jeter for a 4-2 lead.
It was another miserable miscue for a team that has made a habit of them lately. Whether botching plays on the bases or being unable to turn a simple double play, it's no wonder why the Dodgers have struggled lately.
How would the Dodgers respond to all of this? For a change, they actually did quite nicely. Starting in the bottom of third, they strung together seven unanswered runs to run away with this one.
The bases became loaded with no outs from walks to Kemp and Manny, and a single by Ethier. Loney hit a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4. Martin grounded into a double play, but Manny still scored to take the lead at 5-4. The Dodgers never looked back.
Two more runs were scored in the fourth. Raffy started it again with a single, stole second, and soon scored on Loney's RBI single. Casey Blake added an RBI double for a 7-4 lead. Of course, the Dodgers still ran into an out when Kemp was gunned out at the plate. But it didn't matter.
The final runs were scored in the eighth. With two outs, Raffy singled home Martin, and the throw got away to allow Raffy to scamper to third. Kemp doubled to left for an RBI and a 9-4 lead.
Jonathan Broxton got the last out of the eighth and finished the game in a non-save situation. He walked A-Rod with two outs thanks to a very questionable slider called a ball (Mariano Rivera would've gotten the call). Raffy made a fantastic diving play and throw to first to nail Robinson Cano to end the game.
Today was a big game for the Dodgers, as they had a national TV audience on FOX to show what they've got. What they showed is the ability to bounce back and put runs on the board against the world champs. They also showed great patience and clutch hitting at the plate.
Kuroda didn't have his best stuff, but hung in there long enough to get the win. He finished at 5 1/3 innings, seven hits, four runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. He did a good job of bouncing back after Teixeira's homer in the first.
Furcal was just awesome, as he once again showed how valuable he is when healthy. He went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a stolen base, and flashed his leather for the game's final out. Take him away from the top of the order, and the Dodgers are a completely different team.
Loney should also get plenty of credit, as he drove in four runs. It was his two-run single in the third that tied the game, and he kept it going with another RBI single the next inning. Toss in a sacrifice fly for a run earlier in the game, and he put together some great at-bats.
Thankfully, interleague play will end after Sunday. The Dodgers won't miss it, as they are a mere 4-10 against the Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees. But, if they can get Sunday's game, that'll be two of three against the defending champions. That would be a huge step in the right direction.
Clayton Kershaw will take on Andy Pettitte in a classic young vs. old matchup. Both have a legitimate shot at the All-Star game. Who knows the next time these teams will play each other, so enjoy it while it lasts.
The Dodgers got production all throughout the lineup, highlighted by taking an amazing 10 walks, as they cruised over the Yankees, 9-4. The game took nearly four hours to complete, no doubt resembling a Yankees-Red Sox game.
Hiroki Kuroda has been a stud lately, and he started off the game with two quick strikes on Derek Jeter. But, Jeter eventually worked a walk, and that would be the beginning of trouble for Kuroda. Jeter stole second and went to third when Russell Martin's throw sailed into center.
Curtis Granderson drew a walk for two on and none out. Mark Teixeira then hit a three-run homer to right to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Already it was looking like a long night for the Dodgers.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, they were facing A.J. Burnett. When Burnett is one, he has some of the nastiest stuff in the game. But when he's not, he's a head case. Tonight was an off night, and the Dodgers capitalized.
Rafael Furcal led off with a single. After Matt Kemp struck out, Andre Ethier singled for runners on the corners. Manny Ramirez then lifted a ground rule double to right to make it 3-1. A sac-fly RBI by James Loney scored Ethier for a 3-2 game.
The top of the order again got to Kuroda in the third. Jeter and Granderson both singled to start. Last night's hero Alex Rodriguez then grounded one softly back to the mound. Kuroda hesitated for some reason, and Blake DeWitt's throw to second for the double play sailed away, scoring Jeter for a 4-2 lead.
It was another miserable miscue for a team that has made a habit of them lately. Whether botching plays on the bases or being unable to turn a simple double play, it's no wonder why the Dodgers have struggled lately.
How would the Dodgers respond to all of this? For a change, they actually did quite nicely. Starting in the bottom of third, they strung together seven unanswered runs to run away with this one.
The bases became loaded with no outs from walks to Kemp and Manny, and a single by Ethier. Loney hit a two-run single to tie the game at 4-4. Martin grounded into a double play, but Manny still scored to take the lead at 5-4. The Dodgers never looked back.
Two more runs were scored in the fourth. Raffy started it again with a single, stole second, and soon scored on Loney's RBI single. Casey Blake added an RBI double for a 7-4 lead. Of course, the Dodgers still ran into an out when Kemp was gunned out at the plate. But it didn't matter.
The final runs were scored in the eighth. With two outs, Raffy singled home Martin, and the throw got away to allow Raffy to scamper to third. Kemp doubled to left for an RBI and a 9-4 lead.
Jonathan Broxton got the last out of the eighth and finished the game in a non-save situation. He walked A-Rod with two outs thanks to a very questionable slider called a ball (Mariano Rivera would've gotten the call). Raffy made a fantastic diving play and throw to first to nail Robinson Cano to end the game.
Today was a big game for the Dodgers, as they had a national TV audience on FOX to show what they've got. What they showed is the ability to bounce back and put runs on the board against the world champs. They also showed great patience and clutch hitting at the plate.
Kuroda didn't have his best stuff, but hung in there long enough to get the win. He finished at 5 1/3 innings, seven hits, four runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. He did a good job of bouncing back after Teixeira's homer in the first.
Furcal was just awesome, as he once again showed how valuable he is when healthy. He went 3-for-5 with three runs scored, a stolen base, and flashed his leather for the game's final out. Take him away from the top of the order, and the Dodgers are a completely different team.
Loney should also get plenty of credit, as he drove in four runs. It was his two-run single in the third that tied the game, and he kept it going with another RBI single the next inning. Toss in a sacrifice fly for a run earlier in the game, and he put together some great at-bats.
Thankfully, interleague play will end after Sunday. The Dodgers won't miss it, as they are a mere 4-10 against the Tigers, Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees. But, if they can get Sunday's game, that'll be two of three against the defending champions. That would be a huge step in the right direction.
Clayton Kershaw will take on Andy Pettitte in a classic young vs. old matchup. Both have a legitimate shot at the All-Star game. Who knows the next time these teams will play each other, so enjoy it while it lasts.
A-Rod's homer the difference for Yanks
With the hype machine in full force for the arrival of the New York Yankees, the Dodgers and Yanks were locked in a tight battle for much of Friday night's game. Vicente Padilla and C.C. Sabathia had their best stuff going.
One swing from Alex Rodriguez proved to be the difference.
A-Rod's solo shot in the sixth gave the Yankees a one run lead, and it held up as the Yankees took the opener of this big three-game set, 2-1. The Dodgers have now dropped seven of eight.
The Yankees knew they had their ace on the mound in Sabathia, so the Dodgers were hoping the Padilla of the end of last year would show up. That was certainly the case, as Padilla had a very strong start by going seven innings for six hits, two runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
The game started off well for the Dodgers, as the Yankees were set down in order. Rafael Furcal then led off with a walk and stole second. He advanced to third on Andre Ethier's groundout. Manny Ramirez hit an RBI single to give the Dodgers the lead, 1-0.
A-Rod started his big night with a double leading off the second. An RBI single from Jorge Posada tied the game at 1-1.
That score would stand for awhile, as both pitchers kept the other offense at bay. That's not to say that things didn't get interesting, because they did. Robinson Cano was beaned in the fourth, and Sabathia returned the favor by plunking Padilla in the leg in the fifth. Nothing came of it other than a staredown.
While the score remained tied, the Dodgers were bitten by the double play bug to end both the third and fifth. Those came off the bats of Raffy and Manny, so it was no doubt disappointing that they couldn't get the big hits.
After Mark Teixeira popped up to start the sixth, A-Rod crushed one way out to left for the 2-1 lead. It was one of the only mistakes of the night for Padilla, but that shows just how good the Yankees are. They had a chance to score and delivered. The Dodgers would put men on and come up with nothing.
Despite Manny dropping an easy fly ball off the bat of Cano, the Yankees stranded two in scoring position in the eighth. Ronald Belisario did a great job in the final two innings of pitching scoreless ball to keep the game close.
The most interesting scene of the night was Mariano Rivera going for the save against Torre's current team. Rivera struck out Manny and Matt Kemp to start the ninth.
Needing only one more out, James Loney took two very questionable strike calls before looking at one on the outside corner to end the game. Torre, Loney, and Don Mattingly were clearly PO'd, as they were yelling at home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi as he left the game.
As Torre said, Rivera doesn't need any help. He's already one of the legends of this game. But Loney was clearly given little to no chance to come through. Who knows what would have happened, but the Dodgers were only one swing away from tying the game. Cuzzi didn't let that happen.
Nonetheless, it was a very well-played game from both sides. It was good to see the Dodgers go pitch-for-pitch for nearly the whole game. It was still a loss, but maybe this will jumpstart them to a big weekend.
The Dodgers will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound today against A.J. Burnett. Kuroda has been awesome lately, giving up only two runs in 19 innings. On the flip side, Burnett is currently in a four-game losing skid, as his June ERA is 10.35.
Tonight's game will be broadcast on FOX as a special primetime game. So, once again, there will be plenty of hype. Now the Dodgers just need to get a win for their home crowd.
One swing from Alex Rodriguez proved to be the difference.
A-Rod's solo shot in the sixth gave the Yankees a one run lead, and it held up as the Yankees took the opener of this big three-game set, 2-1. The Dodgers have now dropped seven of eight.
The Yankees knew they had their ace on the mound in Sabathia, so the Dodgers were hoping the Padilla of the end of last year would show up. That was certainly the case, as Padilla had a very strong start by going seven innings for six hits, two runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
The game started off well for the Dodgers, as the Yankees were set down in order. Rafael Furcal then led off with a walk and stole second. He advanced to third on Andre Ethier's groundout. Manny Ramirez hit an RBI single to give the Dodgers the lead, 1-0.
A-Rod started his big night with a double leading off the second. An RBI single from Jorge Posada tied the game at 1-1.
That score would stand for awhile, as both pitchers kept the other offense at bay. That's not to say that things didn't get interesting, because they did. Robinson Cano was beaned in the fourth, and Sabathia returned the favor by plunking Padilla in the leg in the fifth. Nothing came of it other than a staredown.
While the score remained tied, the Dodgers were bitten by the double play bug to end both the third and fifth. Those came off the bats of Raffy and Manny, so it was no doubt disappointing that they couldn't get the big hits.
After Mark Teixeira popped up to start the sixth, A-Rod crushed one way out to left for the 2-1 lead. It was one of the only mistakes of the night for Padilla, but that shows just how good the Yankees are. They had a chance to score and delivered. The Dodgers would put men on and come up with nothing.
Despite Manny dropping an easy fly ball off the bat of Cano, the Yankees stranded two in scoring position in the eighth. Ronald Belisario did a great job in the final two innings of pitching scoreless ball to keep the game close.
The most interesting scene of the night was Mariano Rivera going for the save against Torre's current team. Rivera struck out Manny and Matt Kemp to start the ninth.
Needing only one more out, James Loney took two very questionable strike calls before looking at one on the outside corner to end the game. Torre, Loney, and Don Mattingly were clearly PO'd, as they were yelling at home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi as he left the game.
As Torre said, Rivera doesn't need any help. He's already one of the legends of this game. But Loney was clearly given little to no chance to come through. Who knows what would have happened, but the Dodgers were only one swing away from tying the game. Cuzzi didn't let that happen.
Nonetheless, it was a very well-played game from both sides. It was good to see the Dodgers go pitch-for-pitch for nearly the whole game. It was still a loss, but maybe this will jumpstart them to a big weekend.
The Dodgers will send Hiroki Kuroda to the mound today against A.J. Burnett. Kuroda has been awesome lately, giving up only two runs in 19 innings. On the flip side, Burnett is currently in a four-game losing skid, as his June ERA is 10.35.
Tonight's game will be broadcast on FOX as a special primetime game. So, once again, there will be plenty of hype. Now the Dodgers just need to get a win for their home crowd.
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