Greg Maddux had 2 goals coming into tonight's game in San Francisco: pitch efficiently enough to earn his way onto the postseason roster and move past Roger Clemens into sole possession of 8th place on the all time wins list.
He exited a winner in both categories.
Needing a big start to prove that the Mad Dog still has plenty to contribute, Maddux went 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. His only blemish was a solo homer in the 4th by Randy Winn. Other than that, he was a ground ball machine, with 10 of his 15 outs coming on the ground. Granted, he was playing the Giants, who are pathetic, but it was still a great start exactly when he needed one.
The Dodgers played this one similar to the last couple of games, with the main guys starting and then coming out towards the middle of the game. It was a little different in that guys like Casey Blake, Matt Kemp, and Russell Martin stayed in the whole game, but it was mostly the B-team. I would comment on if the Giants played their main guys or not, but I honestly have no idea. Their roster is full of guys that I've never even heard of. Wow, what a pitiful season for them.
The scoring wasn't much, but just enough to win. Blake DeWitt hit a solo shot off of Matt Cain in the 3rd to go up 1-0. Winn's homer in the next inning tied it at 1. DeWitt came through again with an RBI single in the 7th to score Blake (uh, that's the other Blake, as in Casey Blake, for those of you confused like me). And that would be it.
Chad Billingsley pitched the 7th and 8th, giving up no runs on 2 hits. He's in line to start Game 2 of the Division Series, so getting some work in was the goal. It was good to see Takashi Saito come on and get his first save since July 9 by retiring the side in order. I figured he'd get a shot tonight at it more because Jonathan Broxton would get a rest after pitching the night before. Will he be the closer in the postseason? I still lean towards no, but we will see.
An interesting moment came in the 8th when some clown named Billy Sadler struck out Blake (not DeWitt, Casey Blake... ah man I'm confused again). Sadler pumped his fist as if he just clinched a playoff spot, which really pissed off Matt Kemp as the 2 were crossing paths. Apparently this Sadler idiot forgot that his team is a joke, and acting like he just won the World Series in that spot is stupid. The benches emptied, but nothing happened. The Dodgers have bigger fish to fry.
The regular season finale is Sunday, and Hiroki Kuroda gets the call. He just received some good news in that he will be starting Game 3 of the playoffs, so this is a bit of a warmup for him. He goes against Tim Lincecum, who's still eyeing the NL Cy Young award, so he has plenty to pitch for. It should be fun to see who Joe Torre lets manage the team, as he's done in the past with the Yankees.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Kuo to get a test today
Hong-Chih Kuo will get an inning of relief work today in an effort to test his left arm. He's been unavailable in the last 3 weeks due to stiffness in his triceps above his surgically-repaired left elbow. If he shows that he can be the shut-down reliever he's done flawlessly all year, it will be a huge lift for the Dodgers going into the playoffs.
A couple other notes for today's game as well. Chad Billingsley will get a couple innings of work to stay sharp for his start on Thursday in Game 2 of the playoffs, wherever that may be.
Finally, because of the iffy status of Kuo and Takashi Saito, Joe Torre said he will take a 11 pitchers on the 25-man playoff roster. If Jeff Kent stays on as a pinch-hitter (seems likely after his crushing homer last night), Pablo Ozuna could get some outfield work in an effort to find a spot for him. If he can't handle that, he could be one of the odd men out.
A couple other notes for today's game as well. Chad Billingsley will get a couple innings of work to stay sharp for his start on Thursday in Game 2 of the playoffs, wherever that may be.
Finally, because of the iffy status of Kuo and Takashi Saito, Joe Torre said he will take a 11 pitchers on the 25-man playoff roster. If Jeff Kent stays on as a pinch-hitter (seems likely after his crushing homer last night), Pablo Ozuna could get some outfield work in an effort to find a spot for him. If he can't handle that, he could be one of the odd men out.
Giants win wild one
On a meaningless night for the Dodgers, it was the San Francisco Giants who gave their fans at least SOMETHING to make them cheer about.
The Giants came back from a 5-4 hole in the 9th to force extras and Dave Roberts' single with 2 down in the 10th won the game, 6-5. Obviously, the game and result means absolutely nothing to the Dodgers, as nearly everybody on the bench got in the game at some point.
Still, it was a bit disappointing that some of their main relievers didn't get the job done against practically a Triple-A team. The positives was the start by Derek Lowe and the relief appearance by young James McDonald. Lowe got some work in, going 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. McDonald came on next and gave up only 2 hits in 2 innings.
From there, it wasn't as pretty. The other day I talked about how good Scott Proctor looked. Last night? Not so much. He got only 2 outs while giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. Chan Ho Park tried next, but he gave up 2 runs and got 2 outs as well. Jonathan Broxton came on in the 9th, and while an error by Russell Martin didn't help, he still blew the save and didn't look that great. Maybe they're just working the kinks out, at least I hope...
There were 3 homers hit by the Dodgers, though with only 5 runs scored off of them, you probably wouldn't have guessed that. Jeff Kent hit a 2-run shot in the 4th to score Blake DeWitt. With closer Brian Wilson in to start the 9th up 4-2, James Loney rocked a no-doubter to right to get within 1. Danny Ardoin got the start at catcher and singled, part of his 2-3 night, and A.J. Ellis pinch-ran. Martin pinch-hit and hit one out to left to give the Dodgers the lead.
On this night, it didn't matter, as Omar Vizquel's 2 out double in the 10th off of Jason Johnson set up Roberts' winning single. I get the feeling that Vizquel can play until he's 80 and still contribute. Age is no factor with that guy.
Today is potentially a big start for Greg Maddux, who is most likely trying to pitch his way onto the postseason roster. As I've said in the past, he really has been a disappointment with LA, sporting a 1-4 record and 5.71 ERA. He'll be opposed by Matt Cain, who has been rumored to be dangled in the offseason for a bat (which I believe is the right thing to do, in case any Giant fans out there are wondering).
In my mind, the Dodgers have to decide on Clayton Kershaw or Maddux. Do they go with the young arm with great stuff or the veteran who's "been there, done that"? If Maddux struggles against an inferior Giants team today, it would be hard to find a spot for him.
The Giants came back from a 5-4 hole in the 9th to force extras and Dave Roberts' single with 2 down in the 10th won the game, 6-5. Obviously, the game and result means absolutely nothing to the Dodgers, as nearly everybody on the bench got in the game at some point.
Still, it was a bit disappointing that some of their main relievers didn't get the job done against practically a Triple-A team. The positives was the start by Derek Lowe and the relief appearance by young James McDonald. Lowe got some work in, going 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. McDonald came on next and gave up only 2 hits in 2 innings.
From there, it wasn't as pretty. The other day I talked about how good Scott Proctor looked. Last night? Not so much. He got only 2 outs while giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. Chan Ho Park tried next, but he gave up 2 runs and got 2 outs as well. Jonathan Broxton came on in the 9th, and while an error by Russell Martin didn't help, he still blew the save and didn't look that great. Maybe they're just working the kinks out, at least I hope...
There were 3 homers hit by the Dodgers, though with only 5 runs scored off of them, you probably wouldn't have guessed that. Jeff Kent hit a 2-run shot in the 4th to score Blake DeWitt. With closer Brian Wilson in to start the 9th up 4-2, James Loney rocked a no-doubter to right to get within 1. Danny Ardoin got the start at catcher and singled, part of his 2-3 night, and A.J. Ellis pinch-ran. Martin pinch-hit and hit one out to left to give the Dodgers the lead.
On this night, it didn't matter, as Omar Vizquel's 2 out double in the 10th off of Jason Johnson set up Roberts' winning single. I get the feeling that Vizquel can play until he's 80 and still contribute. Age is no factor with that guy.
Today is potentially a big start for Greg Maddux, who is most likely trying to pitch his way onto the postseason roster. As I've said in the past, he really has been a disappointment with LA, sporting a 1-4 record and 5.71 ERA. He'll be opposed by Matt Cain, who has been rumored to be dangled in the offseason for a bat (which I believe is the right thing to do, in case any Giant fans out there are wondering).
In my mind, the Dodgers have to decide on Clayton Kershaw or Maddux. Do they go with the young arm with great stuff or the veteran who's "been there, done that"? If Maddux struggles against an inferior Giants team today, it would be hard to find a spot for him.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
At long last, Raffy makes his return
A day before the Dodgers officially clinched the NL West, they received some great news on the injury front: Rafael Furcal has been activated from the 60-day DL and added to the 40-man roster. In his place, Brad Penny's season is done with right shoulder problems, swapping places with Furcal.
With the Dodgers in the postseason, it will be very interesting to see if Furcal is added to the 25-man roster. Let's face it - he hasn't played in practically forever, and his back may be feeling better, but I would hardly consider it pain-free. I give him a lot of credit for fighting his way back and trying to help the team... and the fact that he's up for a new contract may have something to do with it!
He did get an AB last night against the Padres and struck out. Oh well. Him being back in the fold can only be seen as a good sign. We shall see what the immediate future holds for him in the coming days. Will he be given a start to show if he can contribute? Or will he be like Jeff Kent and Penny, and be unable to be a part of the playoff mix? The answers will soon come.
Then there's the flip side of this, and that's Penny. This has been a lost year for him, as he was originally the opening day starter. It's really been all downhill since then, as 3 trips to the DL have totally derailed his season.
Another interesting note about Penny is that he may be done as a Dodger. The club can either exercise his $9.25 million clause or choose a $2 million buyout. At 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA, it would appear as if he's done, but I wouldn't say that quite yet. If Derek Lowe leaves, that leaves a big hole, and a healthy Penny can fill that. The offseason will be an interesting one for him.
With the Dodgers in the postseason, it will be very interesting to see if Furcal is added to the 25-man roster. Let's face it - he hasn't played in practically forever, and his back may be feeling better, but I would hardly consider it pain-free. I give him a lot of credit for fighting his way back and trying to help the team... and the fact that he's up for a new contract may have something to do with it!
He did get an AB last night against the Padres and struck out. Oh well. Him being back in the fold can only be seen as a good sign. We shall see what the immediate future holds for him in the coming days. Will he be given a start to show if he can contribute? Or will he be like Jeff Kent and Penny, and be unable to be a part of the playoff mix? The answers will soon come.
Then there's the flip side of this, and that's Penny. This has been a lost year for him, as he was originally the opening day starter. It's really been all downhill since then, as 3 trips to the DL have totally derailed his season.
Another interesting note about Penny is that he may be done as a Dodger. The club can either exercise his $9.25 million clause or choose a $2 million buyout. At 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA, it would appear as if he's done, but I wouldn't say that quite yet. If Derek Lowe leaves, that leaves a big hole, and a healthy Penny can fill that. The offseason will be an interesting one for him.
DODGERS WIN THE NL WEST!!!
It's time to pop some bubbly!
The Dodgers have just wrapped up the NL West, all thanks to the Arizona Diamondbacks dropping an afternoon game in St. Louis, 12-3. With Jake Peavy taking the mound tonight and facing a road trip to end the year in San Francisco, it's a sweet feeling to have this all taken care of.
Much more on everything about the playoffs later, but for now, read this and enjoy.
October baseball, here we come!!!
The Dodgers have just wrapped up the NL West, all thanks to the Arizona Diamondbacks dropping an afternoon game in St. Louis, 12-3. With Jake Peavy taking the mound tonight and facing a road trip to end the year in San Francisco, it's a sweet feeling to have this all taken care of.
Much more on everything about the playoffs later, but for now, read this and enjoy.
October baseball, here we come!!!
4 up with 4 to go
The time for celebrating is near.
Thanks to another huge output in 1 innings (this time 6 in the 8th), the Dodgers easily handled the San Diego Padres last night, 12-4. With the win and the loss by the Arizona Diamondbacks (thanks, St. Louis), it's now a 4 game lead in the NL West as 4 games remain.
Needless to say, the odds of winning the division have just shot up.
Despite the big run differential, it was the Padres who struck first for 2 runs in the 4th on a double by Ardian Gonzalez and single by Nick Hundley. Needing a response, the Dodgers did just that in the bottom of the frame. Nomar Garciaparra led off with a long homer to left, his 2nd in as many games to go along with 5 RBI's. Back-to-back walks to Casey Blake and Blake DeWitt put 2 more on, and Matt Kemp singled home Blake with 2 down to knot the game at 2.
From there, the Padres didn't stand much of a chance. In the 5th, Andre Ethier walked, and Nomar came through with another big hit, which was an RBI double. Angel Berroa's sacrifice plated Nomar, and it was 4-2. The Padres cut the lead to 4-3 on Chase Headley's double to keep the game close.
Manny Ramirez stroked a 2-run homer in the 6th, and that would be all the Dodgers needed on this night. The 8th is when 6 more runs were tacked on, and here's how the runs were scored: single by Ethier, double by Loney to score 2, double by Chin-lung Hu (yes, really!), single by Berroa, and single by Kemp. Game, set, and match.
Deep inside the box score is another great sign. After giving up a single and wild pitch to start the 9th, Scott Proctor struck out the side. He's given up 0 runs in 6.1 IP since returning from injuries - all great numbers needed for the postseason.
Clayton Kershaw was the starter, and he wasn't too bad I guess, going 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. It will be interesting to see what role he'll play should the Dodgers get into October. Does the organization trust starting a 20-year-old on such a big stage? I'm not so sure. If this is his last start, a 3-0 record and 3.58 ERA in September shows that he'll be a star in no time.
So now, the Dodgers would have to suffer the collapse of all collapses to blow this thing. The DBacks are still in St. Louis for an afternoon game, so the ideal situation would be for a Cardinals win so the Dodgers are playing for kicks tonight. Over there, it's Doug Davis vs. Joel Pineiro.
In LA, it's Greg Maddux vs. Jake Peavy. Peavy has just owned LA his whole career, so winning will be tough, even with the bats swinging well the last 2 game. It would be great to see the old Mad Dog return tonight, much like in Colorado recently.
Thanks to another huge output in 1 innings (this time 6 in the 8th), the Dodgers easily handled the San Diego Padres last night, 12-4. With the win and the loss by the Arizona Diamondbacks (thanks, St. Louis), it's now a 4 game lead in the NL West as 4 games remain.
Needless to say, the odds of winning the division have just shot up.
Despite the big run differential, it was the Padres who struck first for 2 runs in the 4th on a double by Ardian Gonzalez and single by Nick Hundley. Needing a response, the Dodgers did just that in the bottom of the frame. Nomar Garciaparra led off with a long homer to left, his 2nd in as many games to go along with 5 RBI's. Back-to-back walks to Casey Blake and Blake DeWitt put 2 more on, and Matt Kemp singled home Blake with 2 down to knot the game at 2.
From there, the Padres didn't stand much of a chance. In the 5th, Andre Ethier walked, and Nomar came through with another big hit, which was an RBI double. Angel Berroa's sacrifice plated Nomar, and it was 4-2. The Padres cut the lead to 4-3 on Chase Headley's double to keep the game close.
Manny Ramirez stroked a 2-run homer in the 6th, and that would be all the Dodgers needed on this night. The 8th is when 6 more runs were tacked on, and here's how the runs were scored: single by Ethier, double by Loney to score 2, double by Chin-lung Hu (yes, really!), single by Berroa, and single by Kemp. Game, set, and match.
Deep inside the box score is another great sign. After giving up a single and wild pitch to start the 9th, Scott Proctor struck out the side. He's given up 0 runs in 6.1 IP since returning from injuries - all great numbers needed for the postseason.
Clayton Kershaw was the starter, and he wasn't too bad I guess, going 5.2 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K. It will be interesting to see what role he'll play should the Dodgers get into October. Does the organization trust starting a 20-year-old on such a big stage? I'm not so sure. If this is his last start, a 3-0 record and 3.58 ERA in September shows that he'll be a star in no time.
So now, the Dodgers would have to suffer the collapse of all collapses to blow this thing. The DBacks are still in St. Louis for an afternoon game, so the ideal situation would be for a Cardinals win so the Dodgers are playing for kicks tonight. Over there, it's Doug Davis vs. Joel Pineiro.
In LA, it's Greg Maddux vs. Jake Peavy. Peavy has just owned LA his whole career, so winning will be tough, even with the bats swinging well the last 2 game. It would be great to see the old Mad Dog return tonight, much like in Colorado recently.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Huge 1st inning = 3 game lead
The Dodgers came into Tuesday night's game facing some adversity. The Arizona Diamondbacks were suddenly hot, and only down 2 games in the NL West. The Dodgers had not been playing good ball the last few games, and needed to respond. Did they?
Yes, they sure did.
With a new lineup of Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, and Nomar Garciaparra, respectively, the Dodgers saw their first 7 men reach en route to a 6 run inning to put this one away very early. More runs were tacked on later as they took the victory over the San Diego Padres, 10-1. The other good news was that the DBacks lost to the Colorado Rockies, so the lead is increased to 3 games with 5 to go.
Since Manny was practically being treated as Barry Bonds (nobody pitches to him, hence all the walks), Joe Torre made the perfect move in getting Ethier behind him. Kemp was restored to leadoff to get some power, and Martin back down to 2. For one night anyway, it worked to complete perfection.
The big first inning looked like this: Kemp walked, Martin ground rule double to left, Manny doubled home both, Ethier walked, Nomar 3-run homer to center, Casey Blake singled, Blake DeWitt singled, Angel Berroa popped out, Chad Billingsley RBI sacrifice bunt, Kemp grounded out. Phew... did you get all of that?
Obviously it helped that Jake Peavy was moved back to Thursday and Wade LeBlanc started. This would be LeBlanc's 4th start against the Dodgers this year, and his stuff did not fool anybody. 7 runs in 2.2 innings is not exactly the best way to impress the boss into making the rotation for next season.
On the flip side, Billingsley was solid yet again. He finished at 6 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. He was probably a bit lucky that with 11 runners reaching in 6 innings, only 1 scored. Still, when he needed to, he got the job done. That's now 16 wins and a 3.17 ERA. He was projected as a potential breakout star by all of the fantasy people before the season, and he has undoubtedly fulfilled that.
In addition to Nomar's big shot, the other star was DeWitt, hitting in the #7 spot. He also hit a 3-run tater, and went 2-3 with 2 runs and 3 RBI's. This month, he's hitting a solid .286 with a very good .400 OBP. Getting plenty of PT earlier in the season has really helped him now.
It would be really sweet to wrap up the division at home, and by winning the next 2 days along with 1 loss by the DBacks, it can be done. 2 losses by the good guys and 2 wins by the bad guys would mean a 1 game separation heading into the final series of the season. It's still not over.
Clayton Kershaw has had 3 great starts in his last 4, and he can keep the ball rolling with a big start tonight against Shawn Estes. Estes was not any good in his last start against the Dodgers (5 ER in 5 IP on September 10), so he's looking to bounce back. In St. Louis, it's Max Scherzer against Adam Wainwright, who's been great since coming back from injury.
Let's hope the magic number is at 1 at the end of tonight.
Yes, they sure did.
With a new lineup of Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Manny Ramirez, Andre Ethier, and Nomar Garciaparra, respectively, the Dodgers saw their first 7 men reach en route to a 6 run inning to put this one away very early. More runs were tacked on later as they took the victory over the San Diego Padres, 10-1. The other good news was that the DBacks lost to the Colorado Rockies, so the lead is increased to 3 games with 5 to go.
Since Manny was practically being treated as Barry Bonds (nobody pitches to him, hence all the walks), Joe Torre made the perfect move in getting Ethier behind him. Kemp was restored to leadoff to get some power, and Martin back down to 2. For one night anyway, it worked to complete perfection.
The big first inning looked like this: Kemp walked, Martin ground rule double to left, Manny doubled home both, Ethier walked, Nomar 3-run homer to center, Casey Blake singled, Blake DeWitt singled, Angel Berroa popped out, Chad Billingsley RBI sacrifice bunt, Kemp grounded out. Phew... did you get all of that?
Obviously it helped that Jake Peavy was moved back to Thursday and Wade LeBlanc started. This would be LeBlanc's 4th start against the Dodgers this year, and his stuff did not fool anybody. 7 runs in 2.2 innings is not exactly the best way to impress the boss into making the rotation for next season.
On the flip side, Billingsley was solid yet again. He finished at 6 IP, 9 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. He was probably a bit lucky that with 11 runners reaching in 6 innings, only 1 scored. Still, when he needed to, he got the job done. That's now 16 wins and a 3.17 ERA. He was projected as a potential breakout star by all of the fantasy people before the season, and he has undoubtedly fulfilled that.
In addition to Nomar's big shot, the other star was DeWitt, hitting in the #7 spot. He also hit a 3-run tater, and went 2-3 with 2 runs and 3 RBI's. This month, he's hitting a solid .286 with a very good .400 OBP. Getting plenty of PT earlier in the season has really helped him now.
It would be really sweet to wrap up the division at home, and by winning the next 2 days along with 1 loss by the DBacks, it can be done. 2 losses by the good guys and 2 wins by the bad guys would mean a 1 game separation heading into the final series of the season. It's still not over.
Clayton Kershaw has had 3 great starts in his last 4, and he can keep the ball rolling with a big start tonight against Shawn Estes. Estes was not any good in his last start against the Dodgers (5 ER in 5 IP on September 10), so he's looking to bounce back. In St. Louis, it's Max Scherzer against Adam Wainwright, who's been great since coming back from injury.
Let's hope the magic number is at 1 at the end of tonight.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Peavy's start moved to Thursday
The Dodgers will get a bit of a breather on Tuesday, as Jake Peavy's start has been pushed back to Thursday. In his place, Wade LeBlanc will get the nod.
Even though LeBlanc will be making only his 4th Big League start, this will be his 3rd one against the Dodgers. He hasn't exactly been that great, giving up 9 runs in 10 innings, good for a 1-1 record. His goal is to prove he belongs in next year's rotation, and a big win on the road against the first place Dodgers will undoubtedly help his cause.
So now it's LeBlanc vs. Chad Billingsley, Shawn Estes vs. Clayton Kershaw, and Peavy vs. Greg Maddux. Needless to say, it's the biggest week the Dodgers have had in a couple of years.
Even though LeBlanc will be making only his 4th Big League start, this will be his 3rd one against the Dodgers. He hasn't exactly been that great, giving up 9 runs in 10 innings, good for a 1-1 record. His goal is to prove he belongs in next year's rotation, and a big win on the road against the first place Dodgers will undoubtedly help his cause.
So now it's LeBlanc vs. Chad Billingsley, Shawn Estes vs. Clayton Kershaw, and Peavy vs. Greg Maddux. Needless to say, it's the biggest week the Dodgers have had in a couple of years.
One day after Manny's heroics, the offense goes flat
I know it's been said before, but it definitely can't be overstated: without Manny Ramirez, the Dodgers would have been lining up their offseason plans long ago.
Look no further for proof than Saturday night's game in which he hit 2 homers for 5 RBI's to practically carry the Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants, 10-7. It was a one-man wrecking crew.
With all of that offensive explosion, it's almost mind boggling that the very next day, the well ran completely dry. Matt Cain gave up 5 hits in 6 innings, and the bullpen combined to no-hit the Dodgers the other 5 innings as the Giants won a nail biter, 1-0 in 12 innings. With a win by the Arizona Diamondbacks, it's now a 2.5 games lead in the NL West.
It also means that winning the NL West won't be so easy after all.
Historically, Cain has had a very rough time against the Dodgers, but you wouldn't know that by watching yesterday. Not only against Cain, but any pitcher that went out, the Dodgers just looked completely baffled. Give them credit for pitching so well even with their team being down and out for most of the season.
Derek Lowe did all he could to keep the lead in the West over 3 games. He finished with 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Like Cain, he kept the hitters off balanced from the start. Cory Wade pitched 2 innings of great ball, followed by a shutout 10th from Jonathan Broxton.
Unfortunately, it was Takashi Saito that was the first one to crack in the 11th, and his long delivery cost him. With 2 outs and a runner on 1st, Brad Hennessey (yes, the starting pitcher), pinch-ran for Pablo Sandoval and STOLE 2ND BASE. Wow. After an infield single by Eugenio Valez pushed Hennessey to 3rd, Rich Aurilia's RBI single was the game's only run.
CJ Wilson had to work hard to get the save, and he K'd Manny and Casey Blake, and got James Loney to line out to center. And with that, the Giants took 2 of 3 in what was no doubt a frustrating weekend for the boys in blue.
Suddenly, it's the DBacks who are hot, winning 6 of 7, and the Dodgers who are looking ordinary. The Dodgers are still in the driver's seat with a bit of a cushion, but it's definitely not over. The good news is that the DBacks travel to St. Louis for 4 while the Dodgers stay home against the San Diego Padres, who are a complete embarrassment this year.
The bad news is that Jake Peavy takes the mound today, who's about the only reason to even somewhat pay attention to that team. Chad Billingsley also goes today, and he's coming off a rough outing in Pittsburgh. Still, it's a battle of 2 aces in the NL, and it'll be fun to watch. If the Dodgers can step up and beat Peavy, then I like their chances much more. Another loss would make everyone start to sweat a lot worse.
Look no further for proof than Saturday night's game in which he hit 2 homers for 5 RBI's to practically carry the Dodgers over the San Francisco Giants, 10-7. It was a one-man wrecking crew.
With all of that offensive explosion, it's almost mind boggling that the very next day, the well ran completely dry. Matt Cain gave up 5 hits in 6 innings, and the bullpen combined to no-hit the Dodgers the other 5 innings as the Giants won a nail biter, 1-0 in 12 innings. With a win by the Arizona Diamondbacks, it's now a 2.5 games lead in the NL West.
It also means that winning the NL West won't be so easy after all.
Historically, Cain has had a very rough time against the Dodgers, but you wouldn't know that by watching yesterday. Not only against Cain, but any pitcher that went out, the Dodgers just looked completely baffled. Give them credit for pitching so well even with their team being down and out for most of the season.
Derek Lowe did all he could to keep the lead in the West over 3 games. He finished with 7 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. Like Cain, he kept the hitters off balanced from the start. Cory Wade pitched 2 innings of great ball, followed by a shutout 10th from Jonathan Broxton.
Unfortunately, it was Takashi Saito that was the first one to crack in the 11th, and his long delivery cost him. With 2 outs and a runner on 1st, Brad Hennessey (yes, the starting pitcher), pinch-ran for Pablo Sandoval and STOLE 2ND BASE. Wow. After an infield single by Eugenio Valez pushed Hennessey to 3rd, Rich Aurilia's RBI single was the game's only run.
CJ Wilson had to work hard to get the save, and he K'd Manny and Casey Blake, and got James Loney to line out to center. And with that, the Giants took 2 of 3 in what was no doubt a frustrating weekend for the boys in blue.
Suddenly, it's the DBacks who are hot, winning 6 of 7, and the Dodgers who are looking ordinary. The Dodgers are still in the driver's seat with a bit of a cushion, but it's definitely not over. The good news is that the DBacks travel to St. Louis for 4 while the Dodgers stay home against the San Diego Padres, who are a complete embarrassment this year.
The bad news is that Jake Peavy takes the mound today, who's about the only reason to even somewhat pay attention to that team. Chad Billingsley also goes today, and he's coming off a rough outing in Pittsburgh. Still, it's a battle of 2 aces in the NL, and it'll be fun to watch. If the Dodgers can step up and beat Peavy, then I like their chances much more. Another loss would make everyone start to sweat a lot worse.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Ouch... Maddux pounded by Giants
Everything seemed to be setting up nicely for the Dodgers last night. The Arizona Diamondbacks dropped a close one to the Colorado Rockies, 3-2. The San Francisco Giants were in town, who have had a terrible year. And Barry Zito was pitching, who's career has tanked the last couple of years. Yup, it all looked like a great night.
Except for the fact that Greg Maddux was shelled, and the Giants beat the Dodgers, 7-1. Good thing the Rockies had their backs, so the NL West lead is 3.5 games and the magic number is 6.
It all started going downhill in the 1st inning when Bengie Monlina hit a 2-run double for the quick 2-0 lead. Dave Roberts singled home a run an inning later to go up 3-0, and things were starting to get away. And it got even worse in the 5th on Pablo Sandoval's 2-run double and Molina's 2-run shot, all with 2 outs.
In all, Maddux had a final line of 5 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Obviously, he wasn't fooling anyone last night, even a team with as weak a lineup as the Giants. Don't get me wrong - I like Maddux, but I've got to say that this trade has been a letdown thus far. He's had a couple of good starts, but when he's off, he gets shelled. Since the trade, he's 1-4 with a 5.71 ERA. Uh, not good.
Basically, the entire game can be described as one of those night where nothing went right from the get-go. The top 3 in the order of Matt Kemp (Russell Martin got the night off), Andre Ethier, and Manny Ramirez did fine, going 5-10 with a walk. The rest of the order didn't even get 1 damn hit. Save for Pablo Ozuna's pinch-hit homer in the 8th, and it would have been a shutout. The tell-tale sign that it was going to be a long night was when Manny led off in the 4th and doubled, but never even advanced. It was one of those games.
The Dodgers are usually described as a "streaky" hitting team, which I can agree with. But, what team in baseball isn't streaky? It's not like they can always put up 5+ runs a night. It's just that the Dodgers seem to turn the switch on an off more than others. Manny will do his thing, but when the others can't get on, they won't win.
One game is one game, and the Dodgers have still only lost 4 games in their last 19. But they have been awful the last 3 games, and are lucky they played the Pirates on Thursday, or that would have been a loss as well. Zito looked more like the guy who pitched with the A's than the guy who is flat out stealing millions of dollars to pitch like crap.
Today appears to line up favorably for the Dodgers, but I thought that way against Zito as well. Hey, it's baseball, anything can happen. Hiroki Kuroda goes today, and he's been very solid in his last 2. He's opposed by Brad Hennessey, who's actually only given up 4 runs in 14 innings in his only 2 starts. It's time to get back on track at home today with a solid win.
Except for the fact that Greg Maddux was shelled, and the Giants beat the Dodgers, 7-1. Good thing the Rockies had their backs, so the NL West lead is 3.5 games and the magic number is 6.
It all started going downhill in the 1st inning when Bengie Monlina hit a 2-run double for the quick 2-0 lead. Dave Roberts singled home a run an inning later to go up 3-0, and things were starting to get away. And it got even worse in the 5th on Pablo Sandoval's 2-run double and Molina's 2-run shot, all with 2 outs.
In all, Maddux had a final line of 5 IP, 9 H, 7 ER, 0 BB, 1 K. Obviously, he wasn't fooling anyone last night, even a team with as weak a lineup as the Giants. Don't get me wrong - I like Maddux, but I've got to say that this trade has been a letdown thus far. He's had a couple of good starts, but when he's off, he gets shelled. Since the trade, he's 1-4 with a 5.71 ERA. Uh, not good.
Basically, the entire game can be described as one of those night where nothing went right from the get-go. The top 3 in the order of Matt Kemp (Russell Martin got the night off), Andre Ethier, and Manny Ramirez did fine, going 5-10 with a walk. The rest of the order didn't even get 1 damn hit. Save for Pablo Ozuna's pinch-hit homer in the 8th, and it would have been a shutout. The tell-tale sign that it was going to be a long night was when Manny led off in the 4th and doubled, but never even advanced. It was one of those games.
The Dodgers are usually described as a "streaky" hitting team, which I can agree with. But, what team in baseball isn't streaky? It's not like they can always put up 5+ runs a night. It's just that the Dodgers seem to turn the switch on an off more than others. Manny will do his thing, but when the others can't get on, they won't win.
One game is one game, and the Dodgers have still only lost 4 games in their last 19. But they have been awful the last 3 games, and are lucky they played the Pirates on Thursday, or that would have been a loss as well. Zito looked more like the guy who pitched with the A's than the guy who is flat out stealing millions of dollars to pitch like crap.
Today appears to line up favorably for the Dodgers, but I thought that way against Zito as well. Hey, it's baseball, anything can happen. Hiroki Kuroda goes today, and he's been very solid in his last 2. He's opposed by Brad Hennessey, who's actually only given up 4 runs in 14 innings in his only 2 starts. It's time to get back on track at home today with a solid win.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
It takes 12 for win over Pirates
One day after getting their faces kicked in by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Dodgers survived many close calls in getting the win today in 12 innings, 4-3. The win bumps the lead in the NL West back up to 4 games, and the magic number is at 7.
The last couple of days have been crazy to say the least. The Dodgers gave up 8 runs with 2 outs in the 7th to lose yesterday, 15-8. Today, it was all of the main guys in the lineup, probably because taking another loss would not exactly be the best thing considering the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing the San Francisco Giants again today. It wasn't pretty, but the job was accomplished.
The Pirates got on the board right away on a double by Nigel Morgan. He went to 3rd on a wild pitch by Clayton Kershaw, and scored on a sac-fly RBI from Nate McLouth. Nothing was happening for the Dodgers until the 4th. Manny Ramirez led off with a walk and Matt Kemp doubled 2 outs later. Blake DeWitt stepped up and delivered a 2-run double for the 2-1.
That would be the first of 2 leads that would disappear, as the Pirates refused to roll over like they did on Monday and Tuesday. Old friend Andy LaRoche singled home Nate McLouth to knot the game at 2. In the 7th, Andre Ethier got the lead back on an RBI single to score Kemp for a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately for LA, things would not be easy on this afternoon. The Pirates got a big hit with 2 outs themselves by Luis Cruz, and it was all tied at 3. In the 8th, the Dodgers had runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs for Angel Berroa. We'll never know how that may have turned out because Kemp inexplicably got caught stealing 3rd. Had the Dodgers lost this game, there'd be a lot of talk about that boneheaded move.
The Pirates certainly had their chance to win in the 10th. With runners on 1st and 2nd, a dribbler was hit back to Chan Ho Park, who fired wide of 2nd. DeWitt made a diving stop, then fired home to nail Morgan, who bulled over Russell Martin in the process. Talk about going from one extreme to the other.
Fast forward to the 12th, when the Dodgers finally scratched a run across the board. They did it with the bases loaded and 1 out on a single by James Loney with 2 strikes. He was 0-5 at that point, so it's good to see him salvage his game. Jonathan Broxton let a couple of men reach in the bottom of the 12th, but got Jason Michaels to pop up to DeWitt to end it and gather his 14th save.
Phew... that was way too close for comfort. In a way it's not too surprising, though. I talked about how the Pirates were a .500 team at home entering this series, so it's not shocking to see them put up a fight. I also talked about how it would be a letdown if the Dodgers dropped the final 2 games after winning the first 2, and that didn't happen. I'm sure they'll take it and move on.
More good news for the Dodgers is that Tim Lincecum pitches against the DBacks tonight. The Giants are still atrocious, but if they're going to win at any point, this has to be it. The DBacks counter with Randy Johnson, who, if you haven't heard, has had himself a decent MLB career. Just thought you'd like to know.
The second part to that good news is that with Lincecum going tonight, he'll miss the series with the Dodgers this weekend. Friday night will see Greg Maddux vs. Barry Zito. Hiroki Kuroda and Derek Lowe will follow, so things are definitely in the Dodgers favor. The DBacks will go to Coors Field, where any crazy thing can happen.
The last couple of days have been crazy to say the least. The Dodgers gave up 8 runs with 2 outs in the 7th to lose yesterday, 15-8. Today, it was all of the main guys in the lineup, probably because taking another loss would not exactly be the best thing considering the Arizona Diamondbacks are playing the San Francisco Giants again today. It wasn't pretty, but the job was accomplished.
The Pirates got on the board right away on a double by Nigel Morgan. He went to 3rd on a wild pitch by Clayton Kershaw, and scored on a sac-fly RBI from Nate McLouth. Nothing was happening for the Dodgers until the 4th. Manny Ramirez led off with a walk and Matt Kemp doubled 2 outs later. Blake DeWitt stepped up and delivered a 2-run double for the 2-1.
That would be the first of 2 leads that would disappear, as the Pirates refused to roll over like they did on Monday and Tuesday. Old friend Andy LaRoche singled home Nate McLouth to knot the game at 2. In the 7th, Andre Ethier got the lead back on an RBI single to score Kemp for a 3-2 lead.
Unfortunately for LA, things would not be easy on this afternoon. The Pirates got a big hit with 2 outs themselves by Luis Cruz, and it was all tied at 3. In the 8th, the Dodgers had runners on 1st and 2nd with 2 outs for Angel Berroa. We'll never know how that may have turned out because Kemp inexplicably got caught stealing 3rd. Had the Dodgers lost this game, there'd be a lot of talk about that boneheaded move.
The Pirates certainly had their chance to win in the 10th. With runners on 1st and 2nd, a dribbler was hit back to Chan Ho Park, who fired wide of 2nd. DeWitt made a diving stop, then fired home to nail Morgan, who bulled over Russell Martin in the process. Talk about going from one extreme to the other.
Fast forward to the 12th, when the Dodgers finally scratched a run across the board. They did it with the bases loaded and 1 out on a single by James Loney with 2 strikes. He was 0-5 at that point, so it's good to see him salvage his game. Jonathan Broxton let a couple of men reach in the bottom of the 12th, but got Jason Michaels to pop up to DeWitt to end it and gather his 14th save.
Phew... that was way too close for comfort. In a way it's not too surprising, though. I talked about how the Pirates were a .500 team at home entering this series, so it's not shocking to see them put up a fight. I also talked about how it would be a letdown if the Dodgers dropped the final 2 games after winning the first 2, and that didn't happen. I'm sure they'll take it and move on.
More good news for the Dodgers is that Tim Lincecum pitches against the DBacks tonight. The Giants are still atrocious, but if they're going to win at any point, this has to be it. The DBacks counter with Randy Johnson, who, if you haven't heard, has had himself a decent MLB career. Just thought you'd like to know.
The second part to that good news is that with Lincecum going tonight, he'll miss the series with the Dodgers this weekend. Friday night will see Greg Maddux vs. Barry Zito. Hiroki Kuroda and Derek Lowe will follow, so things are definitely in the Dodgers favor. The DBacks will go to Coors Field, where any crazy thing can happen.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
It's good to play the Pirates
Make that 14 wins in 16 games after tonight as the Dodgers easily pushed aside the Pittsburgh Pirates, 6-2. The Arizona Diamondbacks are in action as I type this, so the lead is at 5 games in the NL West. You know the drill by now: 5.5 if they lose, 4.5 if they win.
There's really not a whole lot to say about the Pirates other than "they suck," so I'm not going to waste my team trying to tell you why. If you actually know a Pirates fan, ask that person. I'm sure you'll get a long lecture of just how dreadful that franchise has become.
This game was put away early in the 2nd inning, as the Dodgers hung a 4 spot on Jeff Karstens. Casey Blake started it off with a solo homer, his 10th as a Dodger and 20th overall. The bases were then loaded with 1 down on singles by Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa, and from a throwing error by Karstens to put Derek Lowe on (Ok, I admit that was a blown call, so there). 3 straight runs were scored on a sac-fly from Russell Martin, a single by the returning Andre Ethier, and a double by Manny Ramirez.
It was the Casey Blake show from there on out, as he was responsible for the other 2 runs being scored as well. In the 3rd, he again led off with a hit, this time a triple. DeWitt's sac-fly RBI scored him, and it was 5-0. Later on in the 6th, Blake singled home Martin for a 6-1 lead. In all, he was 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.
Much like Hiroki Kuroda the night before, it was Derek Lowe who pitched very well with the comfy lead. On the night, he went 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. Between the 2, that's 14 innings and 1 run to start this 4 game set. Chan Ho Park pitched a scoreless 8th. Joe Beimel gave up a run, but got 2 outs, and Jonathan Broxton K'd Andy LaRoche to end the game.
Obviously, these are very winnable games for the Dodgers. The Pirates are playing a lot of young blood, and half of the roster you've probably never even heard of. Hell, I consider myself a huge baseball fan, and I'm still trying to figure out who these people are. With 2 games down, getting 1 more would be considered a great series. But, dropping the next 2 would make wrapping up the West a little tougher than it should be.
With 11 games left in the season, every start is huge. Chad Billingsley will be the man tomorrow on the mound, and he will look for win #16, and possibly lower his ERA to under 3 (currently at 3.02). He'll be opposed by Zach Duke, who used to be really good, but has seemingly fallen off the face of the Earth. Actually, he had 2 great starts in a row recently against the Cubs and Giants, combining for 15 IP and 2 runs. So, who knows which pitcher will show up.
There's really not a whole lot to say about the Pirates other than "they suck," so I'm not going to waste my team trying to tell you why. If you actually know a Pirates fan, ask that person. I'm sure you'll get a long lecture of just how dreadful that franchise has become.
This game was put away early in the 2nd inning, as the Dodgers hung a 4 spot on Jeff Karstens. Casey Blake started it off with a solo homer, his 10th as a Dodger and 20th overall. The bases were then loaded with 1 down on singles by Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa, and from a throwing error by Karstens to put Derek Lowe on (Ok, I admit that was a blown call, so there). 3 straight runs were scored on a sac-fly from Russell Martin, a single by the returning Andre Ethier, and a double by Manny Ramirez.
It was the Casey Blake show from there on out, as he was responsible for the other 2 runs being scored as well. In the 3rd, he again led off with a hit, this time a triple. DeWitt's sac-fly RBI scored him, and it was 5-0. Later on in the 6th, Blake singled home Martin for a 6-1 lead. In all, he was 3-5 with 2 runs and 2 RBI.
Much like Hiroki Kuroda the night before, it was Derek Lowe who pitched very well with the comfy lead. On the night, he went 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. Between the 2, that's 14 innings and 1 run to start this 4 game set. Chan Ho Park pitched a scoreless 8th. Joe Beimel gave up a run, but got 2 outs, and Jonathan Broxton K'd Andy LaRoche to end the game.
Obviously, these are very winnable games for the Dodgers. The Pirates are playing a lot of young blood, and half of the roster you've probably never even heard of. Hell, I consider myself a huge baseball fan, and I'm still trying to figure out who these people are. With 2 games down, getting 1 more would be considered a great series. But, dropping the next 2 would make wrapping up the West a little tougher than it should be.
With 11 games left in the season, every start is huge. Chad Billingsley will be the man tomorrow on the mound, and he will look for win #16, and possibly lower his ERA to under 3 (currently at 3.02). He'll be opposed by Zach Duke, who used to be really good, but has seemingly fallen off the face of the Earth. Actually, he had 2 great starts in a row recently against the Cubs and Giants, combining for 15 IP and 2 runs. So, who knows which pitcher will show up.
Dodgers breeze by Pirates
The Dodgers looked at their schedule to end the season and most likely circled the 4 games they had in Pittsburgh. No matter if they were in first or close to getting there, those 4 games were just what they need. For one night, they didn't disappoint.
Barely breaking a sweat at any point, Hiroki Kuroda pitched 7 strong innings for his first road win in 2 months as the Dodgers won, 8-2. It was pretty much a shutout, save for a 2-run homer by old friend Andy LaRoche with 2 down in the 9th. Still, it was a pretty sweet night. It would have been even sweeter had the Arizona Diamondbacks not won, so the lead in the NL West remains at 4.5 games.
Sometimes these types of games are a cause for concern, only because anything but a win would be a huge letdown. You never know if teams like the Pirates can embrace the "spoiler" role of disrupting the playoff plans of some teams. Sure didn't seem that way, though.
The Dodgers had the bases loaded in the 2nd with 1 down, but Kuroda grounded into a double play. The Dodgers of earlier in the year may not have put any pressure on the opposition after something like that happened, but not these guys. Russell Martin walked and Juan Pierre singled to start the 3rd, and they came around on Manny Ramirez's double. Manny eventually scored on a bad throw down to 2nd trying to catch James Loney stealing for the 3-0 lead.
Man, you may as well have ended the night there, because the Pirates just helplessly flailed away, all in an attempt to pretty much get the game over with as quickly as possible. More runs were scored on James Loney's 2-run single and sac-fly, and Blake DeWitt's sac-fly as well.
But without a doubt, the best run came from the bat of Pierre, who hit his first home run in... oh... about 12 years by hitting one out to right. Nice touch by the Dodgers' dugout of giving him the silent treatment when he first went back in. When you're winning, everything is fun, as evidenced by that display.
Big run support or not, Kuroda brought his best stuff by finishing with 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2K. Even with playing a crappy Pirates team, that's some good stuff. It was also great to see Takashi Saito pitch in his first game since July 12. He K'd 2 in a scoreless inning, which is naturally a great sign.
The Dodgers have to be feeling great about taking at least 3 games in this series with Derek Lowe due on the mound today and Chad Billingsley tomorrow. Lowe's on a 3 game winning streak, giving up only 1 ER in his last 19.1 IP. Wow. Even his last loss was really good, giving up 2 runs in 8 innings against Washington. He's been lights out to say the least.
Barely breaking a sweat at any point, Hiroki Kuroda pitched 7 strong innings for his first road win in 2 months as the Dodgers won, 8-2. It was pretty much a shutout, save for a 2-run homer by old friend Andy LaRoche with 2 down in the 9th. Still, it was a pretty sweet night. It would have been even sweeter had the Arizona Diamondbacks not won, so the lead in the NL West remains at 4.5 games.
Sometimes these types of games are a cause for concern, only because anything but a win would be a huge letdown. You never know if teams like the Pirates can embrace the "spoiler" role of disrupting the playoff plans of some teams. Sure didn't seem that way, though.
The Dodgers had the bases loaded in the 2nd with 1 down, but Kuroda grounded into a double play. The Dodgers of earlier in the year may not have put any pressure on the opposition after something like that happened, but not these guys. Russell Martin walked and Juan Pierre singled to start the 3rd, and they came around on Manny Ramirez's double. Manny eventually scored on a bad throw down to 2nd trying to catch James Loney stealing for the 3-0 lead.
Man, you may as well have ended the night there, because the Pirates just helplessly flailed away, all in an attempt to pretty much get the game over with as quickly as possible. More runs were scored on James Loney's 2-run single and sac-fly, and Blake DeWitt's sac-fly as well.
But without a doubt, the best run came from the bat of Pierre, who hit his first home run in... oh... about 12 years by hitting one out to right. Nice touch by the Dodgers' dugout of giving him the silent treatment when he first went back in. When you're winning, everything is fun, as evidenced by that display.
Big run support or not, Kuroda brought his best stuff by finishing with 7 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2K. Even with playing a crappy Pirates team, that's some good stuff. It was also great to see Takashi Saito pitch in his first game since July 12. He K'd 2 in a scoreless inning, which is naturally a great sign.
The Dodgers have to be feeling great about taking at least 3 games in this series with Derek Lowe due on the mound today and Chad Billingsley tomorrow. Lowe's on a 3 game winning streak, giving up only 1 ER in his last 19.1 IP. Wow. Even his last loss was really good, giving up 2 runs in 8 innings against Washington. He's been lights out to say the least.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Rockies nip Dodgers in 10
The Colorado Rockies ended the Dodgers winning streak at 7 games today by winning in 10 innings, 1-0. The day was not all bad, however, as the Arizona Diamondbacks lost to the Cincinnati Reds in 10 innings, so the lead in the NL West remains at 4.5 games.
I never thought I'd see the day where the game would be scoreless heading into extra innings, but that was the deal today. Greg Maddux and Aaron Cook were absolutely fantastic, as both deserved the win. Neither issued a walk, and both made it look like Coors Field switched locations overnight.
I had a fear yesterday that with Andre Ethier out due to the birth of his first child, Juan Pierre would be leading off. Unluckily for me, I was right. He responded with a 1-4 day, and was largely responsible for the winning run being scored in the 10th.
Here was the situation. Hong-Chih Kuo came on to pitch the 10th. Matt Holliday greeted him with a single, but Brad Hawpe struck out. Garrett Atkins then singled to put 2 men on. Ryan Spilborghs hit a lazy fly ball to shallow right center. Instead of taking command of the ball and easily making the catch, Pierre simply looked on and let Matt Kemp make a diving attempt, which he missed. The ball lands, and the bases were loaded. On an 0-2 count, Troy Tulowitzki singled home the winning run.
I know it's easy to pile on Pierre because of his bloated contract, lack of OBP, spaghetti arm... but good player or not, he has got to make that play. He turned a very simple catch into an adventure. Not getting on base and bad play in the outfield... yup, that's why he finds himself on the bench these days.
Ethier, good luck with the birth of your child... and please hurry back!
The offense didn't do zip today, but that's bound to happen at some point. I'll look at the positives, and that's the final line of Maddux: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Cory Wade pitched 2 flawless innings, as he furthers his great year for someone that wasn't even on the roster to start the season. And look - Angel Berroa was 2-4, raising his average in September to .294.
Now comes an interesting road trip for the Dodgers. They have 4 in Pittsburgh starting Monday. The Pirates, without any doubt, are horrible. Big shock, I know. But, they are playing .500 ball at home (37-37), so it's not like they're completely clueless on how to win. They just don't do enough of it.
In my estimation, 3 of the 4 pitching matchups clearly favor the Dodgers. Tuesday night is the only tossup with Clayton Kershaw vs. Paul Maholm, and that's only because Maholm has been pretty good since August. Hiroki Kuroda goes tomorrow night looking to get his 9th win of the season. The Dodgers can't pull a "Washington Nationals" and get swept by an inferior team on the road. Time to finish this deal.
Over in Arizona, the DBacks will welcome the San Francisco Giants to town for 4. Doug Davis takes on Brad Hennessey in the first game. Thankfully, Tim Lincecum is scheduled to go in the last game on Thursday, which also means he won't pitch against the Dodgers this weekend. Ha!
I never thought I'd see the day where the game would be scoreless heading into extra innings, but that was the deal today. Greg Maddux and Aaron Cook were absolutely fantastic, as both deserved the win. Neither issued a walk, and both made it look like Coors Field switched locations overnight.
I had a fear yesterday that with Andre Ethier out due to the birth of his first child, Juan Pierre would be leading off. Unluckily for me, I was right. He responded with a 1-4 day, and was largely responsible for the winning run being scored in the 10th.
Here was the situation. Hong-Chih Kuo came on to pitch the 10th. Matt Holliday greeted him with a single, but Brad Hawpe struck out. Garrett Atkins then singled to put 2 men on. Ryan Spilborghs hit a lazy fly ball to shallow right center. Instead of taking command of the ball and easily making the catch, Pierre simply looked on and let Matt Kemp make a diving attempt, which he missed. The ball lands, and the bases were loaded. On an 0-2 count, Troy Tulowitzki singled home the winning run.
I know it's easy to pile on Pierre because of his bloated contract, lack of OBP, spaghetti arm... but good player or not, he has got to make that play. He turned a very simple catch into an adventure. Not getting on base and bad play in the outfield... yup, that's why he finds himself on the bench these days.
Ethier, good luck with the birth of your child... and please hurry back!
The offense didn't do zip today, but that's bound to happen at some point. I'll look at the positives, and that's the final line of Maddux: 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Cory Wade pitched 2 flawless innings, as he furthers his great year for someone that wasn't even on the roster to start the season. And look - Angel Berroa was 2-4, raising his average in September to .294.
Now comes an interesting road trip for the Dodgers. They have 4 in Pittsburgh starting Monday. The Pirates, without any doubt, are horrible. Big shock, I know. But, they are playing .500 ball at home (37-37), so it's not like they're completely clueless on how to win. They just don't do enough of it.
In my estimation, 3 of the 4 pitching matchups clearly favor the Dodgers. Tuesday night is the only tossup with Clayton Kershaw vs. Paul Maholm, and that's only because Maholm has been pretty good since August. Hiroki Kuroda goes tomorrow night looking to get his 9th win of the season. The Dodgers can't pull a "Washington Nationals" and get swept by an inferior team on the road. Time to finish this deal.
Over in Arizona, the DBacks will welcome the San Francisco Giants to town for 4. Doug Davis takes on Brad Hennessey in the first game. Thankfully, Tim Lincecum is scheduled to go in the last game on Thursday, which also means he won't pitch against the Dodgers this weekend. Ha!
Saito makes his return... and Jones is officially done
The Dodgers had some win-win news on Saturday. Takashi Saito has made his long-awaited return from a torn right elbow ligament. To make room for him, Andruw Jones was placed on the 60-day DL, ending what was one of the most miserable seasons for a big-time free agent signing in baseball history.
First, let's look at Saito. Joe Torre said he will be eased back into his relief role, probably pitching in non-pressure situations to begin with. Will he be closing again? Who knows, but Jonathan Broxton is doing fine in that role, so I really don't see a big rush. Just having him back is good enough. Assuming the Dodgers hold onto the NL West lead for the playoffs, that will give Saito 2 1/2 weeks to work on his arm strength. Definitely good news.
Then there's the story of Jones. I really don't know what else to say about him that hasn't already been said. Just looking at his numbers of a .158 AVG, 3 HR, 14 RBI in 75 games pretty much says it all. He was given a chance to start in center field the other night, and went 0-4 with 2 K's.
At least Jones acknowledges that he has A TON of work to do if he ever wants to regain any form of respectability. Perhaps showing up to camp in shape would be a start. Just click on the link above to read all about his awful season and you'll get the point.
First, let's look at Saito. Joe Torre said he will be eased back into his relief role, probably pitching in non-pressure situations to begin with. Will he be closing again? Who knows, but Jonathan Broxton is doing fine in that role, so I really don't see a big rush. Just having him back is good enough. Assuming the Dodgers hold onto the NL West lead for the playoffs, that will give Saito 2 1/2 weeks to work on his arm strength. Definitely good news.
Then there's the story of Jones. I really don't know what else to say about him that hasn't already been said. Just looking at his numbers of a .158 AVG, 3 HR, 14 RBI in 75 games pretty much says it all. He was given a chance to start in center field the other night, and went 0-4 with 2 K's.
At least Jones acknowledges that he has A TON of work to do if he ever wants to regain any form of respectability. Perhaps showing up to camp in shape would be a start. Just click on the link above to read all about his awful season and you'll get the point.
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