Thursday night belonged to the Dodgers 2 top pitchers. Chad Billingsley pitched into the 8th inning, and Jonathan Broxton picked up a 5-out save to help the Dodgers avoid the sweep in Houston, 2-0.
Billingsley gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed - a strong performance against a lineup that had been hitting really well lately. After the first 2 games, I didn't think I'd see a shutout, so that made it even sweeter that it happened. On the night, he finished at 7.1 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K. He's now 4-0, the first LA pitcher to win his first 4 starts since Kaz Ishii in 2002 (bet you wouldn't have guessed that).
The Dodgers got on the board in the 1st yet again. Rafael Furcal walked and Orlando Hudson singled. Manny Ramirez continued his hot streak by singling up the middle for the 1-0 lead.
That was it for scoring for quite awhile. While Bills was awesome, Wandy Rodriguez was right behind him. He had some great breaking balls that really kept the Dodgers off balance. About the only real threat against him was in the 5th when O-Dog doubled with 1 down, but was just gunned out trying to stretch it into a triple. Probably not the smartest baserunning decision since Manny was on deck.
With Rodriguez out of the game in the 7th, the Dodgers got another run faster than a blink of the eye. Matt Kemp singled off of Geoff Geary to start. With Kemp stealing, Casey Blake doubled down the right field line to tack on the 2nd run.
Bills went into the 8th and got Pudge Rodriguez to ground out, but speedy Michael Bourne reached on an infield single. That's when Broxton came on and got Hunter Pence and Kaz Matsui retired.
The 9th got interesting when Tejada lead off with a single. Geoff Blum was hit by a pitch, and they both advanced to scoring position with 2 down. Thankfully, Darren Erstad grounded to James Loney to end it all. That's 5-5 in save opportunities for Broxton.
I talked about this last game, but the problem of who to give the ball to in the 8th came up again. It sure seemed like Joe Torre had no trust in Hong-Chih Kuo, who is rested and supposedly ready to go. I'm not sure how many 5-out saves we can expect to see from Broxton, but if the rest of the bullpen doesn't step out, it could be more.
The Dodgers now travel into Colorado for 3, and the Rockies were swept in Dodger Stadium last week, losing the last game by an embarrassing 14-2. Eric Stults gets another start, and with news that Hiroki Kuroda is throwing again, who knows how many more starts he'll get. A solid start in Coors Field will help his cause drastically.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Belisario coughs up lead in the 8th
The Dodgers and Astros were locked in a scoreless battle the first 3 innings in a duel between Randy Wolf and Roy Oswalt. After the Astros struck first with 2 in the 4th, the Dodgers used a 3 homer inning in the 6th to take the lead.
Spotted a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 8th and facing the heart of the Astros order, Ronald Belisario couldn't hold up as the Astros took another one, 6-5. That's the 2nd straight blemish for the Dodgers after winning 8 straight.
The top of the 6th sure made it seem like the Dodgers were going to seize all momentum and take this game. Manny Ramirez started it off with a bomb to left, his 4th. Andre Ethier went back-to-back by just escaping one out to left, and it was 2-2. With 2 out and Russell Martin on with a walk, Casey Blake hit an even bigger bomb to take the 4-2 lead.
That didn't matter, though, as the Astros came right back with 2 of their own on a Jason Michaels double to knot it at 4. So much for grabbing all the momentum.
A tie game heading into the 8th, Ethier singled to lead off and James Loney hit a double to take the advantage. Now here's where the Dodgers faced a dilemma - bring in Hong-Chih Kuo, who's been pretty bad lately, or go with the young Belisario, who's good, but unproven. It was Belisario who got the call, and it wasn't a good one. Lance Berkman hit a solo homer with 1 down to tie it, and Pudge Rodriguez got a big 2-out single to take the 6-5 lead. LaTroy Hawkins put the Dodgers down in order for the easy save.
With Cory Wade on the DL, the Dodgers definitely have a problem on their hands when it comes to bridging the gap to Jonathan Broxton. I'm not sure if there's something physically wrong with Kuo, who has admitted to losing confidence after being hit around so hard lately. If it's just mental, then that's a good thing because his stuff is still nasty enough to correct.
Belisario is a nice story, and no doubt has great stuff. But he is totally new to all of this, so you have to expect that counting on him to be a consistent 8th inning option is going to have some bad results, like last night. Facing guys like Berkman and Carlos Lee in Houston is really tough, so you have to cut him some slack. I just hope either someone steps up soon or Wade comes back healthy shortly.
The Dodgers will look to avoid the sweep after starting off the year so well by sending Chad Billingsley to the mound. He's their ace, so it's the guy you'd want to have the ball in this situation. The game is on MLB Network, so everyone can enjoy. With cable that is.
Spotted a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the 8th and facing the heart of the Astros order, Ronald Belisario couldn't hold up as the Astros took another one, 6-5. That's the 2nd straight blemish for the Dodgers after winning 8 straight.
The top of the 6th sure made it seem like the Dodgers were going to seize all momentum and take this game. Manny Ramirez started it off with a bomb to left, his 4th. Andre Ethier went back-to-back by just escaping one out to left, and it was 2-2. With 2 out and Russell Martin on with a walk, Casey Blake hit an even bigger bomb to take the 4-2 lead.
That didn't matter, though, as the Astros came right back with 2 of their own on a Jason Michaels double to knot it at 4. So much for grabbing all the momentum.
A tie game heading into the 8th, Ethier singled to lead off and James Loney hit a double to take the advantage. Now here's where the Dodgers faced a dilemma - bring in Hong-Chih Kuo, who's been pretty bad lately, or go with the young Belisario, who's good, but unproven. It was Belisario who got the call, and it wasn't a good one. Lance Berkman hit a solo homer with 1 down to tie it, and Pudge Rodriguez got a big 2-out single to take the 6-5 lead. LaTroy Hawkins put the Dodgers down in order for the easy save.
With Cory Wade on the DL, the Dodgers definitely have a problem on their hands when it comes to bridging the gap to Jonathan Broxton. I'm not sure if there's something physically wrong with Kuo, who has admitted to losing confidence after being hit around so hard lately. If it's just mental, then that's a good thing because his stuff is still nasty enough to correct.
Belisario is a nice story, and no doubt has great stuff. But he is totally new to all of this, so you have to expect that counting on him to be a consistent 8th inning option is going to have some bad results, like last night. Facing guys like Berkman and Carlos Lee in Houston is really tough, so you have to cut him some slack. I just hope either someone steps up soon or Wade comes back healthy shortly.
The Dodgers will look to avoid the sweep after starting off the year so well by sending Chad Billingsley to the mound. He's their ace, so it's the guy you'd want to have the ball in this situation. The game is on MLB Network, so everyone can enjoy. With cable that is.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Early lead can't hold up in Houston
The Dodgers looked like they were well on their way to their 9th straight win by posting 3 runs in the 1st. With Clayton Kershaw on the mound, things were looking good.
Unfortunately, Kershaw got pounded by the top of the Astros' order as the Astros took this one, 8-5. The loss is the first one since April 10 in Arizona. Can't complain about that.
Russ Ortiz was on the mound for the Astros, and it sure looked like a long night would be in store for him right away. Consecutive walks to Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson paved the way for Manny Ramirez, who singled home Raffy. After Andre Ethier advanced both runners on a groundout, James Loney scored Hudson on an RBI groundout. Russell Martin singled home Manny, and it was 3-0.
Kershaw never really could get going, as the top of the order consisting of Kaz Matsui, Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee gave him all sorts of fits. Berkman's RBI single in the 1st cut it to 3-1, but Kershaw got through the 2nd unscathed.
That would all change in the 3rd on an RBI double by Tejada, and a 2-run homer by Lee to make it 4-3. Tejada added an 2-run single in the 4th for a 6-3 lead. Kershaw would finish at 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. I think it's safe to say that at his young age, he's not as good as he showed in his last start against the Rockies, but not nearly as bad as this start would indicate. He'll have his peaks and valleys along the way, as we saw last night.
After the Astros pushed it to 7-3 in the 6th, the Dodgers made it a game again when Manny jacked out his 3rd of the year, which was a 2-run shot to make it 7-5. Kaz Matsui's single made it 8-5, but the Dodgers were not done yet.
In the 9th, Raffy reached on an error from closer Jose Valverde and O-Dog singled. That set the stage for Manny as the tying run, but he just missed hitting another one out, reaching the warning track in right. James Loney and Martin K'd to end the game.
While the Dodgers did blow a 3 run lead, it was good to see them battle back late in the game. It seems like anything can happen in that ballpark, so no lead is considered safe. Ramon Troncoso pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless ball, so that's good to see him maybe becoming more reliable.
Randy Wolf takes the mound against his old team from last season. He's opposed by Roy Oswalt, who's off to a slow start after a very shaky stint in the World Baseball Classic. Let's hope he doesn't figure it all out by tonight because when he does, he's hard to handle.
Unfortunately, Kershaw got pounded by the top of the Astros' order as the Astros took this one, 8-5. The loss is the first one since April 10 in Arizona. Can't complain about that.
Russ Ortiz was on the mound for the Astros, and it sure looked like a long night would be in store for him right away. Consecutive walks to Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson paved the way for Manny Ramirez, who singled home Raffy. After Andre Ethier advanced both runners on a groundout, James Loney scored Hudson on an RBI groundout. Russell Martin singled home Manny, and it was 3-0.
Kershaw never really could get going, as the top of the order consisting of Kaz Matsui, Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, and Carlos Lee gave him all sorts of fits. Berkman's RBI single in the 1st cut it to 3-1, but Kershaw got through the 2nd unscathed.
That would all change in the 3rd on an RBI double by Tejada, and a 2-run homer by Lee to make it 4-3. Tejada added an 2-run single in the 4th for a 6-3 lead. Kershaw would finish at 4.1 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K. I think it's safe to say that at his young age, he's not as good as he showed in his last start against the Rockies, but not nearly as bad as this start would indicate. He'll have his peaks and valleys along the way, as we saw last night.
After the Astros pushed it to 7-3 in the 6th, the Dodgers made it a game again when Manny jacked out his 3rd of the year, which was a 2-run shot to make it 7-5. Kaz Matsui's single made it 8-5, but the Dodgers were not done yet.
In the 9th, Raffy reached on an error from closer Jose Valverde and O-Dog singled. That set the stage for Manny as the tying run, but he just missed hitting another one out, reaching the warning track in right. James Loney and Martin K'd to end the game.
While the Dodgers did blow a 3 run lead, it was good to see them battle back late in the game. It seems like anything can happen in that ballpark, so no lead is considered safe. Ramon Troncoso pitched 1.2 innings of scoreless ball, so that's good to see him maybe becoming more reliable.
Randy Wolf takes the mound against his old team from last season. He's opposed by Roy Oswalt, who's off to a slow start after a very shaky stint in the World Baseball Classic. Let's hope he doesn't figure it all out by tonight because when he does, he's hard to handle.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Mailbag
The mailbag on Dodgers.com has been updated for the first time in awhile. The topics are bringing Josh Lindblom up to help the bullpen, signing Pedro Martinez, scoring on the "fourth-out rule" in the past, and if "players to be named later" ever amount to anything.
Here you are.
Here you are.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Dodgers emphatically pound the Rockies for the sweep
Right now, everything is clicking in LA.
The Dodgers tacked on a few runs early, then used a 7-run 5th inning to crush the Rockies, 14-2. That win gives the Dodgers a 10-3 record, 6 straight at home, 8 straight overall, and sole possession of first place.
During the homestand, they've outscored the Giants and Rockies 50-17, had 77 hits, 11 home runs, 31 walks, and hit for a .367 AVG.
I'd say it's good to be a Dodger fan right now.
It was 2-0 after the 1st thanks to RBI doubles by Orlando Hudson and Andre Ethier. Hudson singled home another run in the 2nd, and Rafael Furcal doubled one home in the 4th, and it was 4-0.
After catching a long fly ball at the wall with 2 on and 2 out in the 5th, Matt Kemp came right up in the bottom of the frame and hit a grand slam to blow the game wide open. Hudson and Ethier again had RBI's, and young Scott Elbert had an RBI double. 2 days in a row where a relief pitcher drives in a run (Will Ohman yesterday). Yes, I'd say it's all going well at the plate right now.
Kemp eventually added another homer to complete his amazing day. With the exception of James McDonald, every Dodger starter had a hit, and everyone but James Loney had at least 2. Everyone either scored a run or drove one in, so it was another complete team effort by the Dodgers. True, Kemp hit 2 out of the yard, but they still got most of their runs on clutch singles and doubles.
McDonald got the start today, and came out looking and feeling much better than his last one. He went 4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. I think the only disappointing thing is the 3 walks, but this was still much better than the Arizona debacle. Had he not walked 2 to start the 5th, he could have easily gotten the win.
Instead, that win belongs to Elbert, making his first appearance of the year. He gave up solo shots to Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta, but those were when the game was already taken care of. Ramon Troncoso pitched 2 flawless innings to atone for yesterday's shaky outing.
As I said before, it's all going well for the Dodgers. True, they're a good team and are the favorites to win the NL West. Are they this good? This pace is hard to keep up, but who knows. I don't think we can expect them to pound teams in the ground like this, but with a healthy lineup, they can be really tough. Inevitably, there's going to be some injuries that hit just like every team, so they'll have to deal with bumps in the road. But this certainly is a lot of fun to watch.
The Dodgers will now hit the road for 9 straight games, following on off day on Monday. It's 3 games each in Houston, Colorado, and San Francisco. It's always good to prove you can win on the road, so getting 5 wins (if not more) is a good goal. Clayton Kershaw gets the start Tuesday, and he's coming off a 13 K performance. He'll need that in the homer-friendly Minute Maid Park.
The Dodgers tacked on a few runs early, then used a 7-run 5th inning to crush the Rockies, 14-2. That win gives the Dodgers a 10-3 record, 6 straight at home, 8 straight overall, and sole possession of first place.
During the homestand, they've outscored the Giants and Rockies 50-17, had 77 hits, 11 home runs, 31 walks, and hit for a .367 AVG.
I'd say it's good to be a Dodger fan right now.
It was 2-0 after the 1st thanks to RBI doubles by Orlando Hudson and Andre Ethier. Hudson singled home another run in the 2nd, and Rafael Furcal doubled one home in the 4th, and it was 4-0.
After catching a long fly ball at the wall with 2 on and 2 out in the 5th, Matt Kemp came right up in the bottom of the frame and hit a grand slam to blow the game wide open. Hudson and Ethier again had RBI's, and young Scott Elbert had an RBI double. 2 days in a row where a relief pitcher drives in a run (Will Ohman yesterday). Yes, I'd say it's all going well at the plate right now.
Kemp eventually added another homer to complete his amazing day. With the exception of James McDonald, every Dodger starter had a hit, and everyone but James Loney had at least 2. Everyone either scored a run or drove one in, so it was another complete team effort by the Dodgers. True, Kemp hit 2 out of the yard, but they still got most of their runs on clutch singles and doubles.
McDonald got the start today, and came out looking and feeling much better than his last one. He went 4.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. I think the only disappointing thing is the 3 walks, but this was still much better than the Arizona debacle. Had he not walked 2 to start the 5th, he could have easily gotten the win.
Instead, that win belongs to Elbert, making his first appearance of the year. He gave up solo shots to Brad Hawpe and Chris Iannetta, but those were when the game was already taken care of. Ramon Troncoso pitched 2 flawless innings to atone for yesterday's shaky outing.
As I said before, it's all going well for the Dodgers. True, they're a good team and are the favorites to win the NL West. Are they this good? This pace is hard to keep up, but who knows. I don't think we can expect them to pound teams in the ground like this, but with a healthy lineup, they can be really tough. Inevitably, there's going to be some injuries that hit just like every team, so they'll have to deal with bumps in the road. But this certainly is a lot of fun to watch.
The Dodgers will now hit the road for 9 straight games, following on off day on Monday. It's 3 games each in Houston, Colorado, and San Francisco. It's always good to prove you can win on the road, so getting 5 wins (if not more) is a good goal. Clayton Kershaw gets the start Tuesday, and he's coming off a 13 K performance. He'll need that in the homer-friendly Minute Maid Park.
Shoulder busitis lands Wade on the DL
Cory Wade became the 5th Dodger currently on the Disabled List when he was added yesterday for shoulder bursitis. It's retroactive to April 12, so he'll be able to come off April 27 if healthy.
Wade already missed 10 days in Spring Training because of this injury, so it obviously hasn't gotten any better. Makes me wonder if he truly was healthy, or was just saying he was to try and save his spot. Either way, it sure seems like he should have been DL'd to start the season rather than throwing him out there without being healed.
In his place will be lefty Scott Elbert, who pitched in 10 games with LA last year. His numbers weren't pretty, going 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA in 6 IP. The former #1 pick by the Dodgers in the '04 draft will be pitching out of the bullpen.
Wade already missed 10 days in Spring Training because of this injury, so it obviously hasn't gotten any better. Makes me wonder if he truly was healthy, or was just saying he was to try and save his spot. Either way, it sure seems like he should have been DL'd to start the season rather than throwing him out there without being healed.
In his place will be lefty Scott Elbert, who pitched in 10 games with LA last year. His numbers weren't pretty, going 0-1 with a 12.00 ERA in 6 IP. The former #1 pick by the Dodgers in the '04 draft will be pitching out of the bullpen.
Manny and Ethier go bananas
It didn't take long for Manny Ramirez to bust out of his home run drought, launching a solo shot in the 1st inning for the early lead. From there, he would share the stage with Andre Ethier in combining for 4 homers to give the Dodgers their 7th straight win, 9-5.
It was the perfect combination for the Dodgers in getting a win: Chad Billingsley on the mound and the offense crushing homers off some rocky Rockies pitching (ok that was weak, but I said it anyway). A day after leaving 12 men on base which nearly cost them the game, Manny hit consecutive solo shots in the 1st and 3rd off Aaron Cook for the 2-0 lead.
The 4th is when the game was temporarily blown open. Brad Ausmus started at catcher and singled to lead off. 2 outs later, Orlando Hudson, hitting leadoff for a resting Rafael Furcal, walked for 2 on. Ethier was in the #2 hole and blasted a 3-run shot for a 5-0 lead and it looked like the Dodgers would cruise.
They obviously did win, but the Rockies put up a fight starting in the 6th. Billingsley walked Seth Smith to start the inning, a bad omen. Todd Helton singled, and Brad Hawpe tripled them home 1 out later. Ian Stewart followed with a sac-fly, and Bills went from an easy start to getting hit around a bit.
It's not that he pitched poorly, he just had 1 bad inning. He finished at 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. He's now 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA, proving that he is indeed healthy after a rough offseason. He's been a stud on a staff that had question marks coming into the season.
Alan Embree came on for the Rockies in the 7th, and Ethier greeted him with homer #2. Ryan Speier came on a little later, and Matt Kemp had an RBI single and Juan Castro a sac-fly. Heck, even Will Ohman added an RBI single! Didn't think I'd ever type those words.
About the only downside to the game was Ramon Troncoso in the 9th. Up 5 runs, he walked the leadoff hitter then gave up a single, getting only 1 out. Joe Torre is notorious for not trusting relievers, and I'm sure you can add Troncoso's name to that infamous list. I've got to think that his name will be next in people being sent down if he can't even get through the 9th inning of a blowout game. Not good.
Overall, it was great to see the Dodgers get 7 straight wins with Russell Martin, Rafael Furcal, and Casey Blake sitting. Getting a W with names like Brad Ausmus, Juan Castro, and Blake DeWitt in the lineup is a nice bonus. And of course, getting Manny unleashed is a dangerous sign for the rest of the league. Look out!
The Dodgers will go for a sweep, 8 straight, and 6-0 at home today when young James McDonald gets his 2nd start. I can't imagine it could be worse than his first one, so I'm hopeful.
It was the perfect combination for the Dodgers in getting a win: Chad Billingsley on the mound and the offense crushing homers off some rocky Rockies pitching (ok that was weak, but I said it anyway). A day after leaving 12 men on base which nearly cost them the game, Manny hit consecutive solo shots in the 1st and 3rd off Aaron Cook for the 2-0 lead.
The 4th is when the game was temporarily blown open. Brad Ausmus started at catcher and singled to lead off. 2 outs later, Orlando Hudson, hitting leadoff for a resting Rafael Furcal, walked for 2 on. Ethier was in the #2 hole and blasted a 3-run shot for a 5-0 lead and it looked like the Dodgers would cruise.
They obviously did win, but the Rockies put up a fight starting in the 6th. Billingsley walked Seth Smith to start the inning, a bad omen. Todd Helton singled, and Brad Hawpe tripled them home 1 out later. Ian Stewart followed with a sac-fly, and Bills went from an easy start to getting hit around a bit.
It's not that he pitched poorly, he just had 1 bad inning. He finished at 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K. He's now 3-0 with a 2.84 ERA, proving that he is indeed healthy after a rough offseason. He's been a stud on a staff that had question marks coming into the season.
Alan Embree came on for the Rockies in the 7th, and Ethier greeted him with homer #2. Ryan Speier came on a little later, and Matt Kemp had an RBI single and Juan Castro a sac-fly. Heck, even Will Ohman added an RBI single! Didn't think I'd ever type those words.
About the only downside to the game was Ramon Troncoso in the 9th. Up 5 runs, he walked the leadoff hitter then gave up a single, getting only 1 out. Joe Torre is notorious for not trusting relievers, and I'm sure you can add Troncoso's name to that infamous list. I've got to think that his name will be next in people being sent down if he can't even get through the 9th inning of a blowout game. Not good.
Overall, it was great to see the Dodgers get 7 straight wins with Russell Martin, Rafael Furcal, and Casey Blake sitting. Getting a W with names like Brad Ausmus, Juan Castro, and Blake DeWitt in the lineup is a nice bonus. And of course, getting Manny unleashed is a dangerous sign for the rest of the league. Look out!
The Dodgers will go for a sweep, 8 straight, and 6-0 at home today when young James McDonald gets his 2nd start. I can't imagine it could be worse than his first one, so I'm hopeful.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
7th inning rally gives the Dodgers 6 straight
The night did not start off so well for the Dodgers, who found themselves in a quick 3-0 hole. An RBI double by Garrett Atkins, and a 2-run homer by Brad Hawpe with a full count and 2 down signified a possible long night. And it was, for a while anyway.
It took until the 7th inning before the Dodgers could finally cash in with runners on base. The 2 table setters, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson, once again reached base with nobody down. Manny Ramirez was up, and we all know he hasn't jacked one out yet. He still didn't this at-bat, but he did drive in Raffy with a single. Matt Kemp hit a slow grounder to short to plate Hudson to make it 3-2.
With 1 on and 1 down, Andre Ethier was given another chance to get a big hit. Earlier in the game, he struck out with 2 on, popped up with 1 on, and again stuck out with 2 on. Uh, not exactly a memorable night. He came through this time, though, with a long double to center to tie the game at 3. After Russell Martin K'd, Mark Loretta, getting the start at 1st for James Loney with the lefty Jorge De La Rosa on the mound, delivered an RBI single to left and grab the 4-3 lead.
The Dodgers certainly didn't just cruise to the victory after that. Hong-Chih Kuo came on and proceeded to load the bases with 1 down on a double and 2 walks. I'm not sure what the heck is going on with him, but it's a concern because that's his 2nd lousy appearance in a row after normally being lights-out. With his history of arm problems, I've got to wonder if he's healthy. I sure hope I'm just overreacting, but I can't help it.
With 1 down and the bases juiced, Joe Torre channeled his Yankee days, giving the ball to Jonathan Broxton, ala Mariano Rivera back in the day. How did the new closer respond in a tight situation? Strikeouts of Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta to end the threat.
Broxton got 2 more K's in the 9th to completely overwhelm the Rockies and get the 5-out save. For those of you doubting whether he could handle the transition from setup man to closer, I think that's an emphatic "YES." That was just plain awesome.
Randy Wolf struggled in the 1st, then threw 5 great innings after that to finish at 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K. I made fun of De La Rosa yesterday, but despite allowing 9 runners in 5.1 IP, he found ways to get out of trouble. With a lack of power, the Dodgers showed how hot and cold they can be.
With 12 men left of base, it wasn't pretty to watch for awhile. I talked about Ethier already, but he redeemed himself with a big double late. Poor James Loney. He didn't start, but did pinch-hit and looked completely lost. Still down 3 in the 6th, he came on with 2 runners on and grounded into a DP. Then with 2 on in the 7th after getting the lead, he still grounded out to end the inning. I know he doesn't have much power, but he grounds into way too many double plays. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but I can't exactly say I'd want him up in a situation where there could be a DP.
The Dodgers will look for 7 in-a-row by giving the ball to Chad Billingsley, exactly the kind of a guy you'd want to extend this thing. It's a Fox game today, so enjoy it to those of you that can. I'll be watching the Yankees-Indians in the new ballpark.
It took until the 7th inning before the Dodgers could finally cash in with runners on base. The 2 table setters, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Hudson, once again reached base with nobody down. Manny Ramirez was up, and we all know he hasn't jacked one out yet. He still didn't this at-bat, but he did drive in Raffy with a single. Matt Kemp hit a slow grounder to short to plate Hudson to make it 3-2.
With 1 on and 1 down, Andre Ethier was given another chance to get a big hit. Earlier in the game, he struck out with 2 on, popped up with 1 on, and again stuck out with 2 on. Uh, not exactly a memorable night. He came through this time, though, with a long double to center to tie the game at 3. After Russell Martin K'd, Mark Loretta, getting the start at 1st for James Loney with the lefty Jorge De La Rosa on the mound, delivered an RBI single to left and grab the 4-3 lead.
The Dodgers certainly didn't just cruise to the victory after that. Hong-Chih Kuo came on and proceeded to load the bases with 1 down on a double and 2 walks. I'm not sure what the heck is going on with him, but it's a concern because that's his 2nd lousy appearance in a row after normally being lights-out. With his history of arm problems, I've got to wonder if he's healthy. I sure hope I'm just overreacting, but I can't help it.
With 1 down and the bases juiced, Joe Torre channeled his Yankee days, giving the ball to Jonathan Broxton, ala Mariano Rivera back in the day. How did the new closer respond in a tight situation? Strikeouts of Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta to end the threat.
Broxton got 2 more K's in the 9th to completely overwhelm the Rockies and get the 5-out save. For those of you doubting whether he could handle the transition from setup man to closer, I think that's an emphatic "YES." That was just plain awesome.
Randy Wolf struggled in the 1st, then threw 5 great innings after that to finish at 6 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K. I made fun of De La Rosa yesterday, but despite allowing 9 runners in 5.1 IP, he found ways to get out of trouble. With a lack of power, the Dodgers showed how hot and cold they can be.
With 12 men left of base, it wasn't pretty to watch for awhile. I talked about Ethier already, but he redeemed himself with a big double late. Poor James Loney. He didn't start, but did pinch-hit and looked completely lost. Still down 3 in the 6th, he came on with 2 runners on and grounded into a DP. Then with 2 on in the 7th after getting the lead, he still grounded out to end the inning. I know he doesn't have much power, but he grounds into way too many double plays. He's a good player, don't get me wrong, but I can't exactly say I'd want him up in a situation where there could be a DP.
The Dodgers will look for 7 in-a-row by giving the ball to Chad Billingsley, exactly the kind of a guy you'd want to extend this thing. It's a Fox game today, so enjoy it to those of you that can. I'll be watching the Yankees-Indians in the new ballpark.
DeWitt gets the nod over Paul
Blake DeWitt is back in LA after being recalled to replace the injured Doug Mientkiewicz. There was internal debate about promoting outfielder Xavier Paul, who's hitting .571 at Triple-A, but DeWitt gets the call.
I'm sure Paul's time will come at some point. Heck, if you hit for an average like that, even early on in the season, you're doing something right. I can only imagine a year or 2 down the line when Manny Ramirez is no longer around, this is a name you should be aware of. He seems like the real deal.
DeWitt was just sent down on Monday with the idea of getting him more playing time in Las Vegas. Well... so much for that. But, Mientkiewicz was a primary left-handed bat off the bench, appearing in 7 games and going 2-5 with 2 RBI. DeWitt's been there before, so he should be given his chance to hit in some key, late inning situations.
I'm sure Paul's time will come at some point. Heck, if you hit for an average like that, even early on in the season, you're doing something right. I can only imagine a year or 2 down the line when Manny Ramirez is no longer around, this is a name you should be aware of. He seems like the real deal.
DeWitt was just sent down on Monday with the idea of getting him more playing time in Las Vegas. Well... so much for that. But, Mientkiewicz was a primary left-handed bat off the bench, appearing in 7 games and going 2-5 with 2 RBI. DeWitt's been there before, so he should be given his chance to hit in some key, late inning situations.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Dodgers easily dispose of Giants for sweep
Give the Dodgers this - they aren't relying solely on Manny Ramirez to score a bunch of runs. Rather, they've been getting contributions from everywhere.
The Dodgers took full advantage of having the Giants in town and not facing Tim Lincecum by winning last night 7-2 and getting the 3-game sweep. San Diego is also playing really well, so they're both locked in 1st at 7-3.
Rafael Furcal wasted no time in getting the lead, as he hit a 2-0 pitch just over the left field fence for the 1-0 lead. The Giants struck back in the top of the 2nd with an Edgar Renteria RBI single to tie it at 1.
The Dodgers went up for good in the bottom of the 2nd, though with some help. Andre Ethier was beaned by a Barry Zito pitch to lead off. Matt Kemp hit a diving liner to left, where Fred Lewis tried to make the sliding catch and completely missed, causing the ball to roll all the way to the wall. Kemp got a gift RBI triple, though it should have been either an out or single at most. But we'll take it. Casey Blake singled home Kemp the next hitter, and it was 3-1.
Making another start for the injured Hiroki Kuroda, Eric Stults gave another great performance. He finished at 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. Not overpowering, but enough to limit the Giants. He goes to 2-0 thanks to 4 flawless innings from the bullpen. James McDonald made his first appearance since hit horrible start in Arizona for a scoreless inning, Ronald Belisario gave 2 scoreless innings, and Will Ohman finished them off.
The other news from this game is how well Doug Mientkiewicz played, and then proceeded to land himself on the 15-day DL. He pinch-hit for McDonald in the 6th and laced a double down the right field line to plate Ethier and Kemp, then dove head first into 2nd and popped his shoulder. After trying to stay in, Juan Pierre ran for him. Let's hope he isn't out too long since he's been hitting well and is always top notch defensively.
With a sweep in the books, the Dodgers look to take down the last NL West opponent, the Rockies. Randy Wolf gets the ball, and he was fantastic his last start against Arizona. Jorge De La Rosa goes for the Rockies, who... well... really sucks. It's fun facing bad pitchers.
The Dodgers took full advantage of having the Giants in town and not facing Tim Lincecum by winning last night 7-2 and getting the 3-game sweep. San Diego is also playing really well, so they're both locked in 1st at 7-3.
Rafael Furcal wasted no time in getting the lead, as he hit a 2-0 pitch just over the left field fence for the 1-0 lead. The Giants struck back in the top of the 2nd with an Edgar Renteria RBI single to tie it at 1.
The Dodgers went up for good in the bottom of the 2nd, though with some help. Andre Ethier was beaned by a Barry Zito pitch to lead off. Matt Kemp hit a diving liner to left, where Fred Lewis tried to make the sliding catch and completely missed, causing the ball to roll all the way to the wall. Kemp got a gift RBI triple, though it should have been either an out or single at most. But we'll take it. Casey Blake singled home Kemp the next hitter, and it was 3-1.
Making another start for the injured Hiroki Kuroda, Eric Stults gave another great performance. He finished at 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 2 K. Not overpowering, but enough to limit the Giants. He goes to 2-0 thanks to 4 flawless innings from the bullpen. James McDonald made his first appearance since hit horrible start in Arizona for a scoreless inning, Ronald Belisario gave 2 scoreless innings, and Will Ohman finished them off.
The other news from this game is how well Doug Mientkiewicz played, and then proceeded to land himself on the 15-day DL. He pinch-hit for McDonald in the 6th and laced a double down the right field line to plate Ethier and Kemp, then dove head first into 2nd and popped his shoulder. After trying to stay in, Juan Pierre ran for him. Let's hope he isn't out too long since he's been hitting well and is always top notch defensively.
With a sweep in the books, the Dodgers look to take down the last NL West opponent, the Rockies. Randy Wolf gets the ball, and he was fantastic his last start against Arizona. Jorge De La Rosa goes for the Rockies, who... well... really sucks. It's fun facing bad pitchers.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Don't expect Kuroda back soon
The strained left oblique will definitely keep Hiroki Kuroda out longer than his 15-day DL stint. After playing catch on Monday, he did not attempt to do so the next 2 days.
It's a blow for the Dodgers because he was their Opening Day starter, and they don't have a whole lot of depth for the rotation like they have had in years past. Well, I should say there's not as much reliable depth, because the jury is still out on guys like Eric Stults, James McDonald, and Jason Schmidt (remember him?).
If Stults is able to pitch well like he did last start and in spot starts last year, this should not be a big deal (he goes again tonight against the Giants). If he struggles, then it's a problem. McDonald got one start and was really all over the place, getting shelled against the Diamondbacks. He should get another start on Sunday against the Rockies, but who knows how long he'll last in that game.
As for Schmidt, he threw 73 pitches in 5 innings of an extended Spring Training game. Depending on how his body reacts that (and who knows how that'll be), he could be due for a Minor League rehab assignment soon. In other words, he won't provide any immediate help. Down the line is where they're aiming.
So really, a lot depends on if Stults can continue his solid starts. After watching how great Randy Wold, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw were in their last starts, then Kuroda's loss isn't as glaring. If Stults can join that club, then Kuroda can take his time healing up.
It's a blow for the Dodgers because he was their Opening Day starter, and they don't have a whole lot of depth for the rotation like they have had in years past. Well, I should say there's not as much reliable depth, because the jury is still out on guys like Eric Stults, James McDonald, and Jason Schmidt (remember him?).
If Stults is able to pitch well like he did last start and in spot starts last year, this should not be a big deal (he goes again tonight against the Giants). If he struggles, then it's a problem. McDonald got one start and was really all over the place, getting shelled against the Diamondbacks. He should get another start on Sunday against the Rockies, but who knows how long he'll last in that game.
As for Schmidt, he threw 73 pitches in 5 innings of an extended Spring Training game. Depending on how his body reacts that (and who knows how that'll be), he could be due for a Minor League rehab assignment soon. In other words, he won't provide any immediate help. Down the line is where they're aiming.
So really, a lot depends on if Stults can continue his solid starts. After watching how great Randy Wold, Chad Billingsley, and Clayton Kershaw were in their last starts, then Kuroda's loss isn't as glaring. If Stults can join that club, then Kuroda can take his time healing up.
Walking home with a win... literally
The first 7 innings of tonight's ballgame featured 2 teams that looked pretty much lost at the plate. The last 2 is when things got interesting. Fortunately for the Dodgers, they made just a little more plays than the Giants, squeaking out a 5-4 win.
The Dodgers entered the 8th up 2-1 and seemingly in control. Hong-Chih Kuo entered for Clayton Kerhaw and proceeded to do nothing. He pegged Pablo Sandoval and Rich Aurilla singled for men on the corners. It was a rare hiccup for a guy that is normally as lights out a reliever as you'll find.
Ronald Belisario entered and had 2 strikes on Aaron Rowand before watching him unloaded on a no-doubter to left, putting the Giants up 4-2. Both Kuo and Belisario hadn't given up a run this year, so this was their first blemish.
The Dodgers, much to their credit, didn't roll over and die as I've seen them do many times in recent years in games like these. In the 8th, Andre Ethier singled and Russell Martin doubled down the left field line. James Loney hit a sac-fly RBI to get within 1, and Matt Kemp singled past a drawn in infield to knot it at 4 entering the 9th.
After big Jonathan Broxton came on and overpowered the 3 hitters he faced, the bases were loaded on singles by Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez, and an intentional pass to Ethier. Martin grounded into a force play at home, and it came down to Giants' closer Brian Wilson against Loney, who's been known to ground into a double play or 2 (or a lot).
Fortunately, he never had to swing the bat, as he walked on a full count, giving the Dodgers the W. I kind of laughed when that happened since the Giants pretty much handed them the game. There's not many other teams in the league that would do that, but a win is a win.
What's lost in all of this is how awesome Kershaw was. He went 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K. That's the most strikeouts by a Dodger lefty since Fernando Valenzuela in 1987, or something like that. Man, was his stuff electric tonight. He definitely deserved the win, but the offense left way too many men on base for that to happen. Regardless, it was great to see him in such control.
After taking the first 2, the Dodgers go for the sweep tomorrow with Eric Stults making his 2nd start since being recalled for the injured Hiroki Kuroda. He faces Barry Zito, who used to be good, but now sucks. Have I mentioned that before? Ya, only like every single time I talk about him. It never gets old!
The Dodgers entered the 8th up 2-1 and seemingly in control. Hong-Chih Kuo entered for Clayton Kerhaw and proceeded to do nothing. He pegged Pablo Sandoval and Rich Aurilla singled for men on the corners. It was a rare hiccup for a guy that is normally as lights out a reliever as you'll find.
Ronald Belisario entered and had 2 strikes on Aaron Rowand before watching him unloaded on a no-doubter to left, putting the Giants up 4-2. Both Kuo and Belisario hadn't given up a run this year, so this was their first blemish.
The Dodgers, much to their credit, didn't roll over and die as I've seen them do many times in recent years in games like these. In the 8th, Andre Ethier singled and Russell Martin doubled down the left field line. James Loney hit a sac-fly RBI to get within 1, and Matt Kemp singled past a drawn in infield to knot it at 4 entering the 9th.
After big Jonathan Broxton came on and overpowered the 3 hitters he faced, the bases were loaded on singles by Orlando Hudson and Manny Ramirez, and an intentional pass to Ethier. Martin grounded into a force play at home, and it came down to Giants' closer Brian Wilson against Loney, who's been known to ground into a double play or 2 (or a lot).
Fortunately, he never had to swing the bat, as he walked on a full count, giving the Dodgers the W. I kind of laughed when that happened since the Giants pretty much handed them the game. There's not many other teams in the league that would do that, but a win is a win.
What's lost in all of this is how awesome Kershaw was. He went 7 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K. That's the most strikeouts by a Dodger lefty since Fernando Valenzuela in 1987, or something like that. Man, was his stuff electric tonight. He definitely deserved the win, but the offense left way too many men on base for that to happen. Regardless, it was great to see him in such control.
After taking the first 2, the Dodgers go for the sweep tomorrow with Eric Stults making his 2nd start since being recalled for the injured Hiroki Kuroda. He faces Barry Zito, who used to be good, but now sucks. Have I mentioned that before? Ya, only like every single time I talk about him. It never gets old!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Young shipped to Pirates
Delwyn Young ended up crossing the country, as he was traded to the Pirates for 2 players to be named later.
He was rehabbing his surgically-repaired elbow at Triple-A Albuquerque when he was informed that he'd been taken off the 40-man roster. It's not clear where he'll start with Pittsburgh.
A switch-hitter, he appeared in 83 games last year and hit .246. Not a major loss at all for the Dodgers, who already have 4 good outfielders (yes, I'm counting Juan Pierre, since he would be a starter on countless other teams). Like Jason Repko is finding out now, there really isn't any room for him. Maybe he'll find his niche in Pittsburgh, who continue to be a bumbling franchise looking for any sort of reason to cheer.
He was rehabbing his surgically-repaired elbow at Triple-A Albuquerque when he was informed that he'd been taken off the 40-man roster. It's not clear where he'll start with Pittsburgh.
A switch-hitter, he appeared in 83 games last year and hit .246. Not a major loss at all for the Dodgers, who already have 4 good outfielders (yes, I'm counting Juan Pierre, since he would be a starter on countless other teams). Like Jason Repko is finding out now, there really isn't any room for him. Maybe he'll find his niche in Pittsburgh, who continue to be a bumbling franchise looking for any sort of reason to cheer.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
DeWitt sent packing to Triple-A, Young is sent packing for good
Citing a lack of playing time, the Dodgers have decided to option Blake DeWitt to Triple-A and call up veteran infielder Juan Castro. The move is designed solely to give DeWitt more action on the field rather than playing sporadically with the big club.
In order to make room on the roster, outfielder Delwyn Young has been designated for assignment. That means the Dodgers will have 10 days to trade, release, or waive him. There's been some talk that the Indians, Pirates, and Phillies have interest. He's capable of being a pretty good hitters, but injuries to his oblique and elbow last year have obviously affected him.
Back to DeWitt, and he's only made 1 start this season in 8 games, gathering 6 at-bats total. 6 AB's in 8 games isn't exactly making a young player better, so it's the right move. I speculated a few days ago that with Eric Stults up, perhaps DeWitt would be a candidate to be sent down. Stults' emergence isn't the reason, but I'm not surprised it did happen.
What's interesting to note is that he will not be playing an shortstop in Las Vegas. Rather, he will focus on 2nd base, since he already can play 3rd base. Joe Torre said that if anything happens to Rafael Furcal (like the last 2 seasons), Chin-lung Hu will be his replacement.
As for Castro, he's in his 11th year and was a Dodger way back in 1999. It makes more sense for a veteran like him to sit the bench and make occasional spot starts than DeWitt, mostly because Raffy and Orlando Hudson have shown no signs of slowing down after injury-plagued 2008 seasons. Hopefully it stays that way.
In order to make room on the roster, outfielder Delwyn Young has been designated for assignment. That means the Dodgers will have 10 days to trade, release, or waive him. There's been some talk that the Indians, Pirates, and Phillies have interest. He's capable of being a pretty good hitters, but injuries to his oblique and elbow last year have obviously affected him.
Back to DeWitt, and he's only made 1 start this season in 8 games, gathering 6 at-bats total. 6 AB's in 8 games isn't exactly making a young player better, so it's the right move. I speculated a few days ago that with Eric Stults up, perhaps DeWitt would be a candidate to be sent down. Stults' emergence isn't the reason, but I'm not surprised it did happen.
What's interesting to note is that he will not be playing an shortstop in Las Vegas. Rather, he will focus on 2nd base, since he already can play 3rd base. Joe Torre said that if anything happens to Rafael Furcal (like the last 2 seasons), Chin-lung Hu will be his replacement.
As for Castro, he's in his 11th year and was a Dodger way back in 1999. It makes more sense for a veteran like him to sit the bench and make occasional spot starts than DeWitt, mostly because Raffy and Orlando Hudson have shown no signs of slowing down after injury-plagued 2008 seasons. Hopefully it stays that way.
Pretty much your perfect home opener
The Dodgers opened the home part of their schedule Monday afternoon after a week on the road. A big win was wished for, hoped for, and maybe even expected. What we didn't know was just how dominating it would be. Consider all the good things that went down:
That's where the tide most definitely turned, as the Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate. The funny part was that it actually started with Russell Martin striking out before the onslaught was on. Ethier homered to deep center for his first shot of the year, Matt Kemp walked, and Casey Blake singled. Bills sacrificed for 2 down, and Rafael Furcal lined one into left for the 4-1 lead.
The O-Dog got his double, scoring Raffy, and getting it to 5-1. Manny Ramirez got the intentional pass, and Johnson walked James Loney for his last hitter. Martin singled home 2 before Ethier ended the inning flying out. In all, it was 6 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks. Men were on base and driven in - it's amazing how it all works out with some clutch hits.
Ethier struck again in the 8th with a 3-run bomb to increase the lead to 10. But the real story will be Hudson's cycle, the first one by a Dodger in Dodger Stadium history. That's pretty amazing if you think about. All of those great players, and it hasn't happened ever until today. Wow. Considering he still is working through a wrist injury from last season, that's just crazy to see.
While the offense was all on target, Billingsley was awesome yet again. He finished at 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K. He K'd his last 5 hitters he faced, and was just completely overpowering. It helps facing a weak hitting team like the Giants, but he could have beaten anyone today with his stuff. Nasty. He's now 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.00 WHIP early on.
After practically putting everyone to sleep in the San Diego series, the offense is starting to string together some clutch hits since then. I'm glad Ethier got it going today without the pressure of hitting cleanup. I can easily see him back there at some point, but for now it's the right move. Manny hasn't hit one out yet, but he is hitting .304 with a whopping .529 OBP. He'll take his walks and wait until he can get hot. It'll happen soon.
Tuesday is an off day, and Wednesday it'll be Clayton Kershaw against Matt Cain. The Dodgers have some momentum after today's shellacking and a good weekend in Arizona, so we'll see how they come and play the next 2 games at home.
- Orlando Hudson hit for the cycle, tripling in his 4th at-bat to reach a mark that hasn't been done by a Dodger since Wes Parker in 1970.
- Andre Ethier hit 2 home runs.
- Chad Billingsley pitched 7 strong innings, giving up 1 run and striking out 11.
- Mark Loretta came on late and made a fantastic diving catch in the 9th.
- Randy Johnson suffered his first loss in Dodger Stadium after 7 wins.
- Every Dodger starter had a hit while every Giant starter struck out at least once against Billingsley.
- The Dodgers got wins in both the first game of the year and the home opener.
- They beat the hated Giants 11-1.
That's where the tide most definitely turned, as the Dodgers sent 11 men to the plate. The funny part was that it actually started with Russell Martin striking out before the onslaught was on. Ethier homered to deep center for his first shot of the year, Matt Kemp walked, and Casey Blake singled. Bills sacrificed for 2 down, and Rafael Furcal lined one into left for the 4-1 lead.
The O-Dog got his double, scoring Raffy, and getting it to 5-1. Manny Ramirez got the intentional pass, and Johnson walked James Loney for his last hitter. Martin singled home 2 before Ethier ended the inning flying out. In all, it was 6 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks. Men were on base and driven in - it's amazing how it all works out with some clutch hits.
Ethier struck again in the 8th with a 3-run bomb to increase the lead to 10. But the real story will be Hudson's cycle, the first one by a Dodger in Dodger Stadium history. That's pretty amazing if you think about. All of those great players, and it hasn't happened ever until today. Wow. Considering he still is working through a wrist injury from last season, that's just crazy to see.
While the offense was all on target, Billingsley was awesome yet again. He finished at 7 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K. He K'd his last 5 hitters he faced, and was just completely overpowering. It helps facing a weak hitting team like the Giants, but he could have beaten anyone today with his stuff. Nasty. He's now 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 1.00 WHIP early on.
After practically putting everyone to sleep in the San Diego series, the offense is starting to string together some clutch hits since then. I'm glad Ethier got it going today without the pressure of hitting cleanup. I can easily see him back there at some point, but for now it's the right move. Manny hasn't hit one out yet, but he is hitting .304 with a whopping .529 OBP. He'll take his walks and wait until he can get hot. It'll happen soon.
Tuesday is an off day, and Wednesday it'll be Clayton Kershaw against Matt Cain. The Dodgers have some momentum after today's shellacking and a good weekend in Arizona, so we'll see how they come and play the next 2 games at home.
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