The Dodgers demolished the Rockies on Tuesday night 8-0 behind another awesome night by Yasiel Puig, and a complete game shutout by Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw also ended Michael Cuddyer's hitting streak at 27 games, who flied out to end the game. It was their ninth win in the last 10, moving them to 2 1/2 games in back of first place in the NL West.
The big stars brought in by management to shine did just that. In addition to Puig and Kershaw, Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run homer, Hanley Ramirez upped his hitting streak to 13 games and scored a couple runs, and Andre Ethier had two hits and a stolen base. Matt Kemp was hitless, but did collect an RBI at least.
After the game I took a peak at the starting pitchers for Wednesday night and saw Zack Greinke's name. The first thing I said to myself was, "Now it's his turn."
Yes, with the Dodgers the hottest team in baseball, it's time for the "other" ace to lead the way.
So far I'd put Greinke's season at the decent to pretty good range. Nothing awful, but certainly nothing special either. He's just kind of been there. He currently stands at 5-2 with a 3.94 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 48 K's in 64 IP. Again, nothing bad, but nothing spectacular either.
Whether he likes it or not, his massive contract he inked this past offseason (six years, $147 million) gives him higher expectations. He wasn't signed to be pretty good. He was signed to take the ball the day after Kershaw and put up dominant numbers as well. So far, that hasn't been the case.
We should remember that Greinke was supposed to miss up to two months after that idiot Carlos Quentin charged the mound in April and broke his collarbone, but he ended up returning about a month early. I've always wondered if he was still feeling some effects of that, as his ERA in May was 6.75. Maybe he was but didn't want to sit again, feeling pressure to perform. Who knows.
What I do know is that he seems to have fallen into a pattern of one good start, one not-so-good start. Take a look at his last four trips to the mound:
6/11 vs. Arizona: 7 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (no-decision)
6/16 at Pittsburgh: 5 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 3 K (loss)
6/22 at San Diego: 8 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (win)
6/27 vs. Philadelphia: 7 IP, 12 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 5 K (win)
Again, it's not like he's getting shelled, but he certainly hasn't been the consistent top-tier starter the Dodgers signed him to be. Even though he won his last start agains the Phillies, he was hardly sharp, and for once got a win because of his offense.
After tonight's start in Colorado, he's lined up for two more starts before the All-Star break: in Arizona and home against the Rockies. Obviously, that's three starts against division opponents, so the wins count for that much more.
If there's a reason for optimism that Greinke is about to put up better numbers, then it's his career splits between before and after the break. Since he debuted with the Royals in 2004, he has a 3.93 ERA before, and 3.60 after. Then you take into account the tremendous difference in ERA between home and away (3.39 vs. 4.20), and you start to like seeing him down the stretch on the mound in Dodger Stadium even more.
While the 12th start of the season shouldn't be the most important, it could be for Greinke as he looks to continue the Dodgers' hot run. If the Dodgers gave him all of this money with starts like this in mind, then it's time to step up and deliver the goods.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
The stomach ache (Guerrier) gets traded for the headache (Marmol)
If there was ever a definition of trading one bad player for another for a "change of scenery," this is it.
Both the Dodgers and Cubs can only hope that's true, as Carlos Marmol has been shipped to the Dodgers for Matt Guerrier. Both have healthy contracts, and both have struggled mightily this year. In addition, the Dodgers will receive extra cash along with $209,000 in international signing considerations.
And if you don't think the Dodgers value the international market, I ask you to take a peek at the stats of some guy named Yasiel Puig. So this was a good add-on to the trade.
Marmol has had quite the up and down career, but 2013 has been pretty much rock bottom. He's only 2-5 in save opportunities, to go along with a whopping 5.83 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. Yikes. Much like Dodger fans felt each time Brandon League took the ball with a lead in the ninth, Cub fans knew to expect the worst. And neither did anything to change that.
What can Marmol do for LA? As I mentioned above, it's all about the infamous "change of scenery" for struggling players. From 2010-2012, he saved 38, 34, 20 games, respectively. So the history of pitching effectively late in games is there. The Dodgers tweeted out an interesting fact: since 2007, Marmol leads all relievers with 644 K's, and is fourth with a .174 BAA.
That's all well and good, but obviously Marmol is a different pitcher now. The Dodgers recently promoted Jose Dominguez and Chris Withrow to pitch in middle relief. They certainly have good stuff, but are still rookies. Ronald Belisario and League are awful. Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell are reliable lefties.
So this certainly gives Marmol a chance to get some holds, bridging the gap to Kenley Jansen. In a perfect world, League would get DFA'd, but not with that contract. Maybe Belisario? I'd be fine with that. I have a feeling it will be Withrow, since Dominguez throws near 100 MPH and wowed everybody in his one inning on Sunday.
The biggest hurdle Marmol will have is lowering his walks, as 21 in 27 2/3 innings is way too many. He has 32 strikeouts, so he still shows the ability to get hitters to swing and miss. Rick Honeycutt doesn't have much to lose by working with him, so let's see where this goes.
As for Guerrier, he leaves as a major disappointment. He signed a three-year, $12 million deal before 2011 to be the primary setup guy. It never worked out. He appeared in 70 games in '11 with a 4.07 ERA, and injuries limited him to only 16 games last year. In 34 appearances this year, he had a 4.80 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. He was DFA'd a few days ago, so he was on his way out regardless.
Both the Dodgers and Cubs can only hope that's true, as Carlos Marmol has been shipped to the Dodgers for Matt Guerrier. Both have healthy contracts, and both have struggled mightily this year. In addition, the Dodgers will receive extra cash along with $209,000 in international signing considerations.
And if you don't think the Dodgers value the international market, I ask you to take a peek at the stats of some guy named Yasiel Puig. So this was a good add-on to the trade.
Marmol has had quite the up and down career, but 2013 has been pretty much rock bottom. He's only 2-5 in save opportunities, to go along with a whopping 5.83 ERA and 1.70 WHIP. Yikes. Much like Dodger fans felt each time Brandon League took the ball with a lead in the ninth, Cub fans knew to expect the worst. And neither did anything to change that.
What can Marmol do for LA? As I mentioned above, it's all about the infamous "change of scenery" for struggling players. From 2010-2012, he saved 38, 34, 20 games, respectively. So the history of pitching effectively late in games is there. The Dodgers tweeted out an interesting fact: since 2007, Marmol leads all relievers with 644 K's, and is fourth with a .174 BAA.
That's all well and good, but obviously Marmol is a different pitcher now. The Dodgers recently promoted Jose Dominguez and Chris Withrow to pitch in middle relief. They certainly have good stuff, but are still rookies. Ronald Belisario and League are awful. Paco Rodriguez and J.P. Howell are reliable lefties.
So this certainly gives Marmol a chance to get some holds, bridging the gap to Kenley Jansen. In a perfect world, League would get DFA'd, but not with that contract. Maybe Belisario? I'd be fine with that. I have a feeling it will be Withrow, since Dominguez throws near 100 MPH and wowed everybody in his one inning on Sunday.
The biggest hurdle Marmol will have is lowering his walks, as 21 in 27 2/3 innings is way too many. He has 32 strikeouts, so he still shows the ability to get hitters to swing and miss. Rick Honeycutt doesn't have much to lose by working with him, so let's see where this goes.
As for Guerrier, he leaves as a major disappointment. He signed a three-year, $12 million deal before 2011 to be the primary setup guy. It never worked out. He appeared in 70 games in '11 with a 4.07 ERA, and injuries limited him to only 16 games last year. In 34 appearances this year, he had a 4.80 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. He was DFA'd a few days ago, so he was on his way out regardless.
Utley could be on the Dodgers' radar
The Dodgers appear to be on the verge of adding Carlos Marmol, who's had an absolutely atrocious season with the Cubs. They also could be interested in another Cub, Matt Garza.
Now word is coming from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the Dodgers could be in pursuit of Chase Utley.
Utley is a California native, having attended high school in Long Beach before taking his talents to UCLA. The Dodgers have a need at second base as Mark Ellis has struggled to stay healthy, and utility players like Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker are decent, but certainly not in the class of Utley.
I'm sure that interest was ramped up a few notches after Utley's four-game stay in Dodger Stadium this past week. He stroked three homers to go along with eight hits, and looked like a young star again. The Dodgers took three of four, but certainly not because they shut him down.
If Utley does express interest in being a Dodger (the organization originally drafted him back in 1997 before he opted for UCLA instead), then I have to imagine Ned Colletti would jump all over it. Injuries and age have taken their toll on Utley, as there's no way he'll return to his 30 homer, 100 RBI days. But, he's still a big name, and has shown this season, especially against the Dodgers, that he's swinging a healthy bat. He's already at 11 homers, which is the same amount he hit in each of the previous two seasons.
There are hurdles to this deal, however. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro is obviously a big fan of Utley, as he's still a link to their championship team from 2008. He's playing much better this season and is someone people will pay their money to see. Plus, there's the $15 million he's owed this season. That doesn't just magically go away...
... unless you're the Dodgers, and you've shown a willingness to take on large contracts. With that said, Utley would have to waive his no-trade clause, and the Dodgers would have to send some good prospects to make this happen.
I wouldn't say a deal sounds likely at this point, but it's worth keeping an eye on as the month of July progresses.
Now word is coming from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that the Dodgers could be in pursuit of Chase Utley.
Utley is a California native, having attended high school in Long Beach before taking his talents to UCLA. The Dodgers have a need at second base as Mark Ellis has struggled to stay healthy, and utility players like Nick Punto and Skip Schumaker are decent, but certainly not in the class of Utley.
I'm sure that interest was ramped up a few notches after Utley's four-game stay in Dodger Stadium this past week. He stroked three homers to go along with eight hits, and looked like a young star again. The Dodgers took three of four, but certainly not because they shut him down.
If Utley does express interest in being a Dodger (the organization originally drafted him back in 1997 before he opted for UCLA instead), then I have to imagine Ned Colletti would jump all over it. Injuries and age have taken their toll on Utley, as there's no way he'll return to his 30 homer, 100 RBI days. But, he's still a big name, and has shown this season, especially against the Dodgers, that he's swinging a healthy bat. He's already at 11 homers, which is the same amount he hit in each of the previous two seasons.
There are hurdles to this deal, however. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro is obviously a big fan of Utley, as he's still a link to their championship team from 2008. He's playing much better this season and is someone people will pay their money to see. Plus, there's the $15 million he's owed this season. That doesn't just magically go away...
... unless you're the Dodgers, and you've shown a willingness to take on large contracts. With that said, Utley would have to waive his no-trade clause, and the Dodgers would have to send some good prospects to make this happen.
I wouldn't say a deal sounds likely at this point, but it's worth keeping an eye on as the month of July progresses.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Dodgers in the mix for Matt Garza
The calendar hit July 1 today, and with that, trade rumors will start to swirl more and more each day. We all know that's just the way the Dodgers like it as the deadline approaches on July 31.
Now that they've won eight of nine and are only four games in back of first in the NL West, you can bet Ned Colletti will be as motivated as ever to get this team back over the hump.
The biggest areas of need are third base, middle relief, and back end of the rotation. Today, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com wrote about five possible destinations for Cubs' starter Matt Garza (Insider only). The Cubs are facing yet another rebuilding season, so let's take a look at the proposed deal (which isn't real keep in mind, just what Bowden suggests) and if I would pull the trigger on it.
Garza to the Dodgers for RHPs Stephen Fife and Matt Magill
Garza: He got a late start to the season thanks to a strained lat muscle, and as the Reds' Johnny Cueto can attest to, that's not an easy injury to get rid of. But, Garza has pitched well in his eight starts, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.83 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. His strikeouts have been growing with each start, as he has 18 in his last couple.
He's a very consistent pitcher, as the only time he's topped a 3.95 ERA was when he was a young rookie with Minnesota in 2006. He posted a very low .236 BAA last season, and .230 so far this season. In other words, he doesn't allow many baserunners, and can be relied on for it.
Fife: After tossing seven scoreless innings on Sunday against the Phillies, who came in scorching the ball against Dodgers' pitching, you know his value just went up. This season he's 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. He's only made 12 starts in his career spanning two seasons, but with a very good line of a 2.78 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
Magill: The transition to the majors has not gone nearly as smooth for him, as he's been roughed up in his six starts to the tune of a 6.51 ERA and 1.99 WHIP. He's walked 28 in 27 2/3 innings, which is obviously way too many. To his defense, he's had to make some starts on pretty short notice thanks to the never ending injury situation in LA, but even with that, he's been pretty horrendous.
Bottom Line: As much as I like Fife, I would pull the trigger on this deal. Garza is only 29 and has pitched in big games before. He won the 2008 ALCS MVP thanks to two wins over the Red Sox, giving up two runs in 13 innings. Yes, that was five years ago, but in five career postseason starts (including one more in 2010), he's 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
Garza strikes me as a guy who would thrive in the spotlight of LA, where he would get to make big starts down the stretch. He made many big starts with the Rays from 2008-2010, and was one of their top pitchers. Plus a rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Garza is pretty nasty. That would be hard for any team to matchup with.
I would miss Fife because he is getting better at mixing his pitches and seems to step up to the challenge. But, it's the old saying of in order to get something, you have to give up something. Fife would be that guy. I'd be perfectly happy if he does stay a Dodger though, don't get me wrong.
I don't have much confidence in Magill, who just doesn't strike me as anything special. I know he won't always walk so many in future, but he just has "OK" written all over him. No big deal if he goes.
Now that they've won eight of nine and are only four games in back of first in the NL West, you can bet Ned Colletti will be as motivated as ever to get this team back over the hump.
The biggest areas of need are third base, middle relief, and back end of the rotation. Today, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com wrote about five possible destinations for Cubs' starter Matt Garza (Insider only). The Cubs are facing yet another rebuilding season, so let's take a look at the proposed deal (which isn't real keep in mind, just what Bowden suggests) and if I would pull the trigger on it.
Garza to the Dodgers for RHPs Stephen Fife and Matt Magill
Garza: He got a late start to the season thanks to a strained lat muscle, and as the Reds' Johnny Cueto can attest to, that's not an easy injury to get rid of. But, Garza has pitched well in his eight starts, posting a 3-1 record with a 3.83 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. His strikeouts have been growing with each start, as he has 18 in his last couple.
He's a very consistent pitcher, as the only time he's topped a 3.95 ERA was when he was a young rookie with Minnesota in 2006. He posted a very low .236 BAA last season, and .230 so far this season. In other words, he doesn't allow many baserunners, and can be relied on for it.
Fife: After tossing seven scoreless innings on Sunday against the Phillies, who came in scorching the ball against Dodgers' pitching, you know his value just went up. This season he's 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. He's only made 12 starts in his career spanning two seasons, but with a very good line of a 2.78 ERA and 1.28 WHIP.
Magill: The transition to the majors has not gone nearly as smooth for him, as he's been roughed up in his six starts to the tune of a 6.51 ERA and 1.99 WHIP. He's walked 28 in 27 2/3 innings, which is obviously way too many. To his defense, he's had to make some starts on pretty short notice thanks to the never ending injury situation in LA, but even with that, he's been pretty horrendous.
Bottom Line: As much as I like Fife, I would pull the trigger on this deal. Garza is only 29 and has pitched in big games before. He won the 2008 ALCS MVP thanks to two wins over the Red Sox, giving up two runs in 13 innings. Yes, that was five years ago, but in five career postseason starts (including one more in 2010), he's 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.
Garza strikes me as a guy who would thrive in the spotlight of LA, where he would get to make big starts down the stretch. He made many big starts with the Rays from 2008-2010, and was one of their top pitchers. Plus a rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Garza is pretty nasty. That would be hard for any team to matchup with.
I would miss Fife because he is getting better at mixing his pitches and seems to step up to the challenge. But, it's the old saying of in order to get something, you have to give up something. Fife would be that guy. I'd be perfectly happy if he does stay a Dodger though, don't get me wrong.
I don't have much confidence in Magill, who just doesn't strike me as anything special. I know he won't always walk so many in future, but he just has "OK" written all over him. No big deal if he goes.
Youth is served as Dodgers dismantle Phillies
It was a perfect and fitting end to the month of June, which saw the Dodgers go from pushover to a team on the rise.
Youth has been served, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
With big games from Yasiel Puig and Stephen Fife, and contributions along the way from Jose Dominguez, Paco Rodriguez, and Scott Van Slyke, the Dodgers won an easy one over the Phillies on Sunday, 6-1. The win gave them three of four, and eight of their last nine.
It took until the fourth before either team scored, where the Dodgers certainly got to Kyle Kendrick. Puig hit his second infield single and soon stole second. An out later, Hanley Ramirez stroked an RBI single to go up 1-0. Ramirez got in on the running with a steal of second, and Matt Kemp's RBI single to left made it 2-0.
A balk by Kendrick put Kemp at second, and A.J. Ellis hit an infield single for runners on the corners. An RBI single by Jerry Hairston later, the Dodgers were in control at 3-0.
The heart of the order of Puig and Adrian Gonzalez teamed up to create another run in the fifth. Puig lifted a popup to right that landed and scooted away from Delmon Young in right, allowing Puig to get a triple out of it. Gonzalez lined an RBI double to right, and it was 4-0.
For as much as Dodger fans complain about their bullpen (and rightfully so), the Phillies are just as bad, if not worse. The Dodgers scored a couple more runs off of them in the eighth. With Jacob Diekman in, Kemp singled and scored all the way from first on an RBI double by Ellis, who had three hits on the day. Van Slyke pinch-hit and hit an RBI single to score Ellis, making it 6-0.
Dominguez made his Major League debut in the top of the eighth, and boy did he leave his mark. Throwing gas around 100 MPH, he immediately struck out Young, then got Ben Revere to ground to short. On a full count to Carlos Ruiz, he hurled a change-up at about 83 MPH, popping him up to second. Not only was it great to see that, but the fact he's replacing the recently designated Matt Guerrier makes it even sweeter!
Chris Withrow started the ninth and got a couple of outs right away before allowing consecutive singles to Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, allowing Utley to score. Rodriguez came in and got Ryan Howard swinging to end the game.
There was so much about this game that should leave the home fans feeling good as they left Dodger Stadium. As I mentioned before, the youth strutted their stuff the whole day. Puig continues to just marvel. A 4-for-5 day at the plate gives him a .436 average, which is simply insane. That's the highest average for a player in a calendar month making his Major League debut in the modern era. Only Joe DiMaggio had more hits at 46 (to Puig's 44), and he had 25 more plate appearances. Wow!
We all know how good Puig is, but let's give credit to Fife for stepping up and delivering a fantastic game on the mound. In seven start this year, he's gone 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. Only one of his starts has he given up more than three runs, and that was the first one. His name was nowhere on the list of potential rotation candidates to start the season, but due to injuries, he's more than justified his spot.
Watching Dominguez and Withrow was refreshing, mostly because we didn't have to suffer through watching clowns like Brandon League, Ronald Belisuckio, and Guerrier. Paco is turning into a quality reliever against any hitter, as lefties are hitting .143, and righties .163. Maybe the Dodgers are finally ready for quality middle relief to get the ball to Kenley Jansen in the ninth. We can only hope.
Going 6-1 on the homestand was sweet, but now it's time to improve on that 13-22 road record, which is nearly the worst in all of baseball. They'll get plenty of chances to do so coming up, as they start with three in Colorado on Tuesday, followed by three in San Francisco, and concluding with three in Arizona. Clayton Kershaw gets the call on Tuesday.
Youth has been served, and it couldn't have come at a better time.
With big games from Yasiel Puig and Stephen Fife, and contributions along the way from Jose Dominguez, Paco Rodriguez, and Scott Van Slyke, the Dodgers won an easy one over the Phillies on Sunday, 6-1. The win gave them three of four, and eight of their last nine.
It took until the fourth before either team scored, where the Dodgers certainly got to Kyle Kendrick. Puig hit his second infield single and soon stole second. An out later, Hanley Ramirez stroked an RBI single to go up 1-0. Ramirez got in on the running with a steal of second, and Matt Kemp's RBI single to left made it 2-0.
A balk by Kendrick put Kemp at second, and A.J. Ellis hit an infield single for runners on the corners. An RBI single by Jerry Hairston later, the Dodgers were in control at 3-0.
The heart of the order of Puig and Adrian Gonzalez teamed up to create another run in the fifth. Puig lifted a popup to right that landed and scooted away from Delmon Young in right, allowing Puig to get a triple out of it. Gonzalez lined an RBI double to right, and it was 4-0.
For as much as Dodger fans complain about their bullpen (and rightfully so), the Phillies are just as bad, if not worse. The Dodgers scored a couple more runs off of them in the eighth. With Jacob Diekman in, Kemp singled and scored all the way from first on an RBI double by Ellis, who had three hits on the day. Van Slyke pinch-hit and hit an RBI single to score Ellis, making it 6-0.
Dominguez made his Major League debut in the top of the eighth, and boy did he leave his mark. Throwing gas around 100 MPH, he immediately struck out Young, then got Ben Revere to ground to short. On a full count to Carlos Ruiz, he hurled a change-up at about 83 MPH, popping him up to second. Not only was it great to see that, but the fact he's replacing the recently designated Matt Guerrier makes it even sweeter!
Chris Withrow started the ninth and got a couple of outs right away before allowing consecutive singles to Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins, allowing Utley to score. Rodriguez came in and got Ryan Howard swinging to end the game.
There was so much about this game that should leave the home fans feeling good as they left Dodger Stadium. As I mentioned before, the youth strutted their stuff the whole day. Puig continues to just marvel. A 4-for-5 day at the plate gives him a .436 average, which is simply insane. That's the highest average for a player in a calendar month making his Major League debut in the modern era. Only Joe DiMaggio had more hits at 46 (to Puig's 44), and he had 25 more plate appearances. Wow!
We all know how good Puig is, but let's give credit to Fife for stepping up and delivering a fantastic game on the mound. In seven start this year, he's gone 3-2 with a 2.83 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. Only one of his starts has he given up more than three runs, and that was the first one. His name was nowhere on the list of potential rotation candidates to start the season, but due to injuries, he's more than justified his spot.
Watching Dominguez and Withrow was refreshing, mostly because we didn't have to suffer through watching clowns like Brandon League, Ronald Belisuckio, and Guerrier. Paco is turning into a quality reliever against any hitter, as lefties are hitting .143, and righties .163. Maybe the Dodgers are finally ready for quality middle relief to get the ball to Kenley Jansen in the ninth. We can only hope.
Going 6-1 on the homestand was sweet, but now it's time to improve on that 13-22 road record, which is nearly the worst in all of baseball. They'll get plenty of chances to do so coming up, as they start with three in Colorado on Tuesday, followed by three in San Francisco, and concluding with three in Arizona. Clayton Kershaw gets the call on Tuesday.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Dodgers do everything they can to lose, but still win
The Dodgers were hardly a flawless team on Saturday night, grounding into double plays, committing silly errors in the outfield, and blowing a save in the ninth because of it.
But hey, they still won, and that's all that matters.
A.J. Ellis hit a walk-off single in the ninth to score Hanley Ramirez, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Phillies, their seventh victory in the last eight games. It also puts the Dodgers five games in back of the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead, as the whole division is pretty bunched together.
Much like Thursday night's game, the Dodgers started red hot, then cooled off big time. That's opposed to Friday's game, when the Phillies started hot, got hotter, and ended absolutely scorching hot. Scoring 16 runs will do that for ya.
Chase Utley has been killing the Dodgers this series, and he lifted a solo shot out to right to make it 1-0 two batters into the game. Hyun-Jin Ryu at least got the other red hot hitter, Delmon Young, to strikeout for the last out.
Yasiel Puig only had one hit, which for him is like two or three hits too low, and his single with one out started a rally. Adrian Gonzalez took a walk, which gave Ramirez a chance to drive in runs. Boy did he ever, as he absolutely unloaded on a long three-run bomb to dead center for the 3-1 lead. I've seen a lot of homers at Dodger Stadium, but that's one of the farthest I can recall.
The down side is that the scoring stopped for the Dodgers after that, as he did almost everything possible to hand this game away. The Phillies scored again in the third. How, you ask? That's right - a solo homer by Utley, his 11th of the season. After missing a big chunk of last season, he looks young again, which is good news for Philly.
Despite the win, there were a couple of very frustrating moments for the Dodgers. The first came in the fourth. Ramirez doubled leading off, which led to two straight walks to Matt Kemp and Scott Van Slyke, who got the start in left for Andre Ethier.
Considering how well the Phillies have swung the bat this series, the Dodgers needed to score more runs. Well, that didn't exactly happen here. Ellis bounced one back to the mound for the 1-2-3 double play, and Juan Uribe grounded to short. A completely blown opportunity there.
Ryu remained tough, though, as he got through the sixth and seventh without giving up anything else. On the night, he gave up seven hits, two runs, three walks, and six strikeouts. He should've gotten his seventh win, but was denied that thanks to some crappy defense.
Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, and J.P. Howell got through the eighth scoreless. Actually, Belisario had nothing to do with it, because he was pathetic yet again. Of the four hitters he faced, three of them reached on two singles and an intentional walk. And yet again I'd like to point out how this guy should be nowhere near the mound in a close game like this. He's terrible!
Kenley Jansen was given the ball in the ninth. He got up 0-2 on leadoff hitter Michael Young, but Young hit a single to right that was misplayed by Puig, allowing him to go to second. Utley's groundout got him to third. Jimmy Rollins lifted a shallow fly ball to center which Young faked going home on.
Apparently Kemp didn't realize that, because he throw to home was so bad, Young practically walked home to tie the game at 3-3. Kemp was bad all-around in this one, striking out three more times to go along with that horrific throw. Definitely not the stuff of franchise players. Give me a break.
Jansen was able to get out of the ninth tied, even though Dominic Brown tripled with two outs. So yes, it's a blown save for Jansen, but it's of no fault of his own. Puig and Kemp let him down big time.
Ramirez led off the bottom of the ninth with a sharp single to center off of Justin De Fratus. Kemp, right on cue, struck out looking, barking at home plate umpire CB Bucknor. Don't get me wrong - Bucknor did not have a good game, as his calls on the corners were very inconsistent and just downright strange for both Ryu and Cliff Lee the whole night. But sorry, Matty, that was another poor at-bat by you.
Ethier worked a walk right after that, as he came in to start the inning for Van Slyke. Ellis needed to redeem himself for that awful double play ball he grounded into earlier, and he did with a walk-off single to right, as Ramirez hustled around the tag at home. It was a great end to an imperfect night.
Not to seem so negative, because the Dodgers will take any sort of win they can get, but this wasn't much fun to watch at times. First there was Bucknor and his changing strike zone, then the offense going quiet for multiple innings again, then two atrocious errors in the outfield in the ninth. Just some ugly stuff.
Then again, maybe it's a good thing that even with all of that, the Dodgers still won. Right now they're 5-1 on the homestand, which is awesome. If they can get Sunday's game, that's a very successful week in Dodger Stadium. And that's even with the beatdown they suffered on Friday.
That win won't be easy on Sunday, as the Dodgers send Stephen Fife to the mound against Kyle Kendrick. Fife has pitched well, but Kendrick has seven wins and a 3.46 ERA this season. This game will finish up the homestand before taking Monday off and traveling to Colorado for three starting Tuesday.
But hey, they still won, and that's all that matters.
A.J. Ellis hit a walk-off single in the ninth to score Hanley Ramirez, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 win over the Phillies, their seventh victory in the last eight games. It also puts the Dodgers five games in back of the Diamondbacks for the NL West lead, as the whole division is pretty bunched together.
Much like Thursday night's game, the Dodgers started red hot, then cooled off big time. That's opposed to Friday's game, when the Phillies started hot, got hotter, and ended absolutely scorching hot. Scoring 16 runs will do that for ya.
Chase Utley has been killing the Dodgers this series, and he lifted a solo shot out to right to make it 1-0 two batters into the game. Hyun-Jin Ryu at least got the other red hot hitter, Delmon Young, to strikeout for the last out.
Yasiel Puig only had one hit, which for him is like two or three hits too low, and his single with one out started a rally. Adrian Gonzalez took a walk, which gave Ramirez a chance to drive in runs. Boy did he ever, as he absolutely unloaded on a long three-run bomb to dead center for the 3-1 lead. I've seen a lot of homers at Dodger Stadium, but that's one of the farthest I can recall.
The down side is that the scoring stopped for the Dodgers after that, as he did almost everything possible to hand this game away. The Phillies scored again in the third. How, you ask? That's right - a solo homer by Utley, his 11th of the season. After missing a big chunk of last season, he looks young again, which is good news for Philly.
Despite the win, there were a couple of very frustrating moments for the Dodgers. The first came in the fourth. Ramirez doubled leading off, which led to two straight walks to Matt Kemp and Scott Van Slyke, who got the start in left for Andre Ethier.
Considering how well the Phillies have swung the bat this series, the Dodgers needed to score more runs. Well, that didn't exactly happen here. Ellis bounced one back to the mound for the 1-2-3 double play, and Juan Uribe grounded to short. A completely blown opportunity there.
Ryu remained tough, though, as he got through the sixth and seventh without giving up anything else. On the night, he gave up seven hits, two runs, three walks, and six strikeouts. He should've gotten his seventh win, but was denied that thanks to some crappy defense.
Paco Rodriguez, Ronald Belisario, and J.P. Howell got through the eighth scoreless. Actually, Belisario had nothing to do with it, because he was pathetic yet again. Of the four hitters he faced, three of them reached on two singles and an intentional walk. And yet again I'd like to point out how this guy should be nowhere near the mound in a close game like this. He's terrible!
Kenley Jansen was given the ball in the ninth. He got up 0-2 on leadoff hitter Michael Young, but Young hit a single to right that was misplayed by Puig, allowing him to go to second. Utley's groundout got him to third. Jimmy Rollins lifted a shallow fly ball to center which Young faked going home on.
Apparently Kemp didn't realize that, because he throw to home was so bad, Young practically walked home to tie the game at 3-3. Kemp was bad all-around in this one, striking out three more times to go along with that horrific throw. Definitely not the stuff of franchise players. Give me a break.
Jansen was able to get out of the ninth tied, even though Dominic Brown tripled with two outs. So yes, it's a blown save for Jansen, but it's of no fault of his own. Puig and Kemp let him down big time.
Ramirez led off the bottom of the ninth with a sharp single to center off of Justin De Fratus. Kemp, right on cue, struck out looking, barking at home plate umpire CB Bucknor. Don't get me wrong - Bucknor did not have a good game, as his calls on the corners were very inconsistent and just downright strange for both Ryu and Cliff Lee the whole night. But sorry, Matty, that was another poor at-bat by you.
Ethier worked a walk right after that, as he came in to start the inning for Van Slyke. Ellis needed to redeem himself for that awful double play ball he grounded into earlier, and he did with a walk-off single to right, as Ramirez hustled around the tag at home. It was a great end to an imperfect night.
Not to seem so negative, because the Dodgers will take any sort of win they can get, but this wasn't much fun to watch at times. First there was Bucknor and his changing strike zone, then the offense going quiet for multiple innings again, then two atrocious errors in the outfield in the ninth. Just some ugly stuff.
Then again, maybe it's a good thing that even with all of that, the Dodgers still won. Right now they're 5-1 on the homestand, which is awesome. If they can get Sunday's game, that's a very successful week in Dodger Stadium. And that's even with the beatdown they suffered on Friday.
That win won't be easy on Sunday, as the Dodgers send Stephen Fife to the mound against Kyle Kendrick. Fife has pitched well, but Kendrick has seven wins and a 3.46 ERA this season. This game will finish up the homestand before taking Monday off and traveling to Colorado for three starting Tuesday.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Beckett officially done for the season
Any hope of Josh Beckett making some sort of comeback this season was put to rest on Saturday, as the Dodgers announced he will undergo season-ending surgery. It'll be to relieve pressure on a nerve in his neck, which has caused him to experience a tingling sensation in his fingers that has not gone away.
It's a shame because I really thought Beckett would have a good season, especially after posting a 2.93 ERA in seven starts after being traded from the Red Sox last season. It was obvious from the start to this year's campaign that he was not the same pitcher, as he was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in eight starts. It was ugly.
The Dodgers have missed him this season, especially after watching how horrific Chris Capuano was on Friday. He was expected to slide into the 4-5 spot of the rotation, but now he becomes another example of a pitcher who has failed to deliver. At least he has an excuse.
Beckett is due to make nearly $16 million next season, so he's not going anywhere. Recovery time is about three-five months, which gives him plenty of time to be ready for Spring Training. Who knows how much he has left in the tank, but he'll get a chance to prove he's ready to go if he can properly recover.
It's a shame because I really thought Beckett would have a good season, especially after posting a 2.93 ERA in seven starts after being traded from the Red Sox last season. It was obvious from the start to this year's campaign that he was not the same pitcher, as he was 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in eight starts. It was ugly.
The Dodgers have missed him this season, especially after watching how horrific Chris Capuano was on Friday. He was expected to slide into the 4-5 spot of the rotation, but now he becomes another example of a pitcher who has failed to deliver. At least he has an excuse.
Beckett is due to make nearly $16 million next season, so he's not going anywhere. Recovery time is about three-five months, which gives him plenty of time to be ready for Spring Training. Who knows how much he has left in the tank, but he'll get a chance to prove he's ready to go if he can properly recover.
I guess this is why the Dodgers want to trade for pitching
There's really only one way to sum up Friday night's 16-1 shellacking to the Phillies: it sucked.
End of story.
It was the worst home loss the Dodgers suffered since moving from Brooklyn, if you want to look further into it. Chris Capuano was absolutely horrific, and the bullpen of Peter Moylan, Matt Guerrier, and Brandon League were just atrocious.
Oh, Skip Schumaker pitched a scoreless ninth. That might be the most embarrassing stat of the night.
For those of you wondering why the Dodgers would be linked to a guy like Ricky Nolasco of the Marlins, this is it. I wrote the other day about how the Dodgers were getting good production from the back end of their rotation during this recent six-game winning streak. Well, you can throw that out the window after Friday. It's hard to imagine Capuano being much worse.
Nolasco seems to be the biggest name out there so far, at least well before the trade deadline at the end of July starts sparking new names. He's the type of guy who certainly has the potential, but is notorious for not living up to those projections. And guess what? He was hit around by the Padres at home before the Dodgers took the field on Friday, giving up five runs and 11 hits in five innings. Not exactly the type of start that encourages Dodger fans.
Still, would making a move for Nolasco be worth it? There's understandable concern that Capuano, Stephen Fife, and Ted Lilly are not the answers down the stretch. I like the way Fife has looked lately, so perhaps he'll be fine, but I can see why management wants an upgrade to solidify the fourth and fifth rotation spots.
This season, Nolasco is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 83 K's in 103 1/3 innings. Those numbers aren't bad, but he's in a rough patch right now. He was only 1-4 in May, but with a 3.57 ERA. In five June starts, he's fallen back at 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA. One step forward, one step back.
Money is no object for the Dodgers anymore, so they can easily cover the remaining $6 million left on Nolasco's deal. When it comes to players with big money owed, you can automatically link the Dodgers to them after the Red Sox trade from last year. So that gives them an edge over teams reluctant to take on all that money.
Before Friday's game, I would have said that the Dodgers should steer clear of him. But Capuano was so bad and so discouraging, I'm completely rethinking that stance. I can't imagine the Dodgers would have to give up much to get him as long as they take his contract, so no major players would be on the move to Miami. Maybe Nolasco is one of those "change of scenery" type of players where getting away can only help. Rick Honeycutt has had success with all sorts of different pitchers, so I'd like to see what he can do with Nolasco.
As for the bullpen, I haven't seen any specific names linked to them, but that will change soon. There's no way they can feel confident about winning anytime they give the ball to guys like League, Moylan, and Guerrier. Ditto for Ronald Belisario. The only ones they feel good about are Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, and Paco Rodriguez. As much as Don Mattingly would like to, he can't put them in there EVERY game.
End of story.
It was the worst home loss the Dodgers suffered since moving from Brooklyn, if you want to look further into it. Chris Capuano was absolutely horrific, and the bullpen of Peter Moylan, Matt Guerrier, and Brandon League were just atrocious.
Oh, Skip Schumaker pitched a scoreless ninth. That might be the most embarrassing stat of the night.
For those of you wondering why the Dodgers would be linked to a guy like Ricky Nolasco of the Marlins, this is it. I wrote the other day about how the Dodgers were getting good production from the back end of their rotation during this recent six-game winning streak. Well, you can throw that out the window after Friday. It's hard to imagine Capuano being much worse.
Nolasco seems to be the biggest name out there so far, at least well before the trade deadline at the end of July starts sparking new names. He's the type of guy who certainly has the potential, but is notorious for not living up to those projections. And guess what? He was hit around by the Padres at home before the Dodgers took the field on Friday, giving up five runs and 11 hits in five innings. Not exactly the type of start that encourages Dodger fans.
Still, would making a move for Nolasco be worth it? There's understandable concern that Capuano, Stephen Fife, and Ted Lilly are not the answers down the stretch. I like the way Fife has looked lately, so perhaps he'll be fine, but I can see why management wants an upgrade to solidify the fourth and fifth rotation spots.
This season, Nolasco is 4-8 with a 3.93 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 83 K's in 103 1/3 innings. Those numbers aren't bad, but he's in a rough patch right now. He was only 1-4 in May, but with a 3.57 ERA. In five June starts, he's fallen back at 1-2 with a 4.55 ERA. One step forward, one step back.
Money is no object for the Dodgers anymore, so they can easily cover the remaining $6 million left on Nolasco's deal. When it comes to players with big money owed, you can automatically link the Dodgers to them after the Red Sox trade from last year. So that gives them an edge over teams reluctant to take on all that money.
Before Friday's game, I would have said that the Dodgers should steer clear of him. But Capuano was so bad and so discouraging, I'm completely rethinking that stance. I can't imagine the Dodgers would have to give up much to get him as long as they take his contract, so no major players would be on the move to Miami. Maybe Nolasco is one of those "change of scenery" type of players where getting away can only help. Rick Honeycutt has had success with all sorts of different pitchers, so I'd like to see what he can do with Nolasco.
As for the bullpen, I haven't seen any specific names linked to them, but that will change soon. There's no way they can feel confident about winning anytime they give the ball to guys like League, Moylan, and Guerrier. Ditto for Ronald Belisario. The only ones they feel good about are Kenley Jansen, J.P. Howell, and Paco Rodriguez. As much as Don Mattingly would like to, he can't put them in there EVERY game.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Cruz's Day of Reckoning has arrived
It took the Dodgers 78 games, but they finally let Luis Cruz out of his misery.
With Scott Van Slyke being activated from the 15-day DL on Friday, the Dodgers officially designated Cruz for assignment. The move was a forgone conclusion now that people are finally starting to get healthy.
It's shocking to know that the Dodgers don't have any use for a guy hitting .127 with one homer and six RBIs in 45 games. Just take a moment and let those numbers sink in. He's been to the plate 118 times and has 15 hits to show for it. 15! You'd think he'd accidentally get like 20 or so. Nope.
This is a move that's long overdue, but with the injuries coming in waves for the Dodgers, they almost had to keep him in the big leagues just for a healthy body. But make no mistake about it - for every bit as bad as Juan Uribe was the previous two seasons, Cruz may have been worse this year. It's close, but he may actually have done it.
There's no way in H E double hockey sticks that another team will put a claim in on him, so expect him to be assigned to Albuquerque in 10 days. And who knows, maybe he gives the Dodgers a spark down the stretch like he did last year. That seems about as likely as Brandon League pitching a perfect ninth, but crazy things can happen.
As for Van Slyke, he'll be relied upon late in game for a power bat off the bench. He can also spell Adrian Gonzalez at first, and good for him too considering the last thing the Dodgers need is more outfielders. Keep in mind Carl Crawford is due back soon, so I would guess Van Slyke is dusting off his first baseman's mitt right about now.
Either way, best of luck to Cruz, and it's good to see Van Slyke back.
With Scott Van Slyke being activated from the 15-day DL on Friday, the Dodgers officially designated Cruz for assignment. The move was a forgone conclusion now that people are finally starting to get healthy.
It's shocking to know that the Dodgers don't have any use for a guy hitting .127 with one homer and six RBIs in 45 games. Just take a moment and let those numbers sink in. He's been to the plate 118 times and has 15 hits to show for it. 15! You'd think he'd accidentally get like 20 or so. Nope.
This is a move that's long overdue, but with the injuries coming in waves for the Dodgers, they almost had to keep him in the big leagues just for a healthy body. But make no mistake about it - for every bit as bad as Juan Uribe was the previous two seasons, Cruz may have been worse this year. It's close, but he may actually have done it.
There's no way in H E double hockey sticks that another team will put a claim in on him, so expect him to be assigned to Albuquerque in 10 days. And who knows, maybe he gives the Dodgers a spark down the stretch like he did last year. That seems about as likely as Brandon League pitching a perfect ninth, but crazy things can happen.
As for Van Slyke, he'll be relied upon late in game for a power bat off the bench. He can also spell Adrian Gonzalez at first, and good for him too considering the last thing the Dodgers need is more outfielders. Keep in mind Carl Crawford is due back soon, so I would guess Van Slyke is dusting off his first baseman's mitt right about now.
Either way, best of luck to Cruz, and it's good to see Van Slyke back.
Six straight W's as Dodgers keep on rollin'
Perhaps the best part about Thursday night's win over the Phillies? Zack Greinke was far from his usual dominant self at home, but the Dodgers still found a way to win.
Despite being outhit 14-7, a late two-run single by Yasiel Puig gave the Dodgers a lead they would not relinquish, going on to win, 6-4. After beating the Padres in both weekend games and sweeping the Giants in three, the Dodgers have kept the ball rolling in the opener of a four-game series.
If you were only able to watch the first inning and nothing else, you would think the Dodgers would have won this in a blowout. Skip Schumaker played second and hit leadoff for Mark Ellis and walked to start things. Puig lined a hard one up the middle that was kicked by pitcher Jonathan Pettibone, forcing Schumaker at second in an unlucky play.
Adrian Gonzalez singled to put two on. Matt Kemp hit cleanup in his second start back from the DL, and his RBI single over the third base bag made it 1-0. Andre Ethier skied one off the wall in center to bring home two, and it was 3-0.
That would be it for the Dodgers for awhile, as about the only thing they did until the seventh was have Nick Punto single, steal second, and get sacrificed over to third in the second, but get stranded. In fact, Pettibone completely shut them down by retiring 15 straight before getting pulled in the seventh.
The Phillies not only chipped away after the first, they ended up taking a brief lead. Dominic Brown launched his 21st homer leading off the second, tied for tops in the NL with Carlos Gonzalez. There hasn't been a whole lot to go right for the Phillies this year, but Brown has certainly been one of them.
Greinke was far from sharp all night, as he ran many counts to 3-2 thanks to relentless nibbling at the corners. In the fifth, he gave away the lead, though it could have been so much worse. With one out, Pettibone singled, and Ben Revere reached on an infield single. Chase Utley hit an RBI single to center to make it 3-2. Jimmy Rollins followed with his own RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.
With momentum clearly on the Phillies' side, they really screwed it up. Ryan Howard had a 3-0 count and was turned loose. That's a good idea if you square up a fat pitch. It's not if you bounce one in front of the plate for the 1-6-3 double play. Just horrible execution by a veteran hitter like Howard.
Greinke stayed on to pitch the seventh and almost got out of it unscathed, but fell victim to a two-out, solo shot from Utley to put the Phillies up 4-3. Puig nearly fell victim to a broken body after crashing into the wall trying to cach it. Thankfully he was fine, but after starting the game on fire, the Dodgers gave it all away.
Ah, but these are not the same Dodgers from even a couple weeks ago. These guys fight back, and it showed in the bottom of the seventh. Justin De Fratus relieved, which was a good thing considering the Dodgers looked lost after the first inning against Pettibone. Maybe the kid will go on to have a great career, but man... it's hard to believe he can set down 15 straight. But he did.
Anyway, like many other times when teams have big innings, it starts with a walk, and it did here to A.J. Ellis. Howard apparently was not done handing over favors to the Dodgers, as fell on his butt trying to field an easy bunt from Juan Uribe, failing to get anyone out. That was pretty embarrassing and should have been an error, but that's hometown scoring for ya.
Punto laid down a great sacrifice to advance both runners to scoring position. Don Mattingly then turned to Hanley Ramirez, who started the game on the bench. Charlie Manuel didn't mess around, intentionally walking him to load the bases. It was a great move at first, as Schumaker looked horrible striking out on three pitches.
Then came Puig, who looked awful in missing two outside sliders. De Fratus did the right thing in throwing it again, but should have put it in the dirt, as Puig pulled a two-run single to left to get the lead back at 5-4. Just when you thought the league had him figured out, he shows just how good of a hitter he is.
The Dodgers added one more in the eighth thanks to Kemp. He singled leading off, then stole both second and third with one out, which is always good news after missing time with a hamstring injury. Ellis hit a sac-fly RBI to right, and it was 6-4.
Kenley Jansen got two quick outs to start the ninth before Revere singled to bring up Utley. It was quite a battle with Utley, but Gonzalez gloved a liner for the final out. The save was Jansen's seventh.
This turned into one of those games where the bats go silent after a big start. Credit goes to Pettibone for giving his team a chance to win. He definitely outpitched Greinke, who lasted seven innings for 12 hits, four runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. He's fortunate to get his fifth win, as three double play balls definitely helped him get it.
Puig left his mark with a big hit, but even more encouraging was watching Kemp in the eighth. He looked fresh in stealing two bases and scoring on a fly ball. I think with him we always have to be a bit cautious, as we've seen him go from looking great one day to injured the next. Maybe he's finally healthy and ready to go the rest of the season. He certainly looked that way in this game.
The Dodgers are only six games in back of the NL West-leading Diamondbacks, despite still being in last place. Chris Capuano will look to keep the good times going by toeing the rubber on Friday.
Despite being outhit 14-7, a late two-run single by Yasiel Puig gave the Dodgers a lead they would not relinquish, going on to win, 6-4. After beating the Padres in both weekend games and sweeping the Giants in three, the Dodgers have kept the ball rolling in the opener of a four-game series.
If you were only able to watch the first inning and nothing else, you would think the Dodgers would have won this in a blowout. Skip Schumaker played second and hit leadoff for Mark Ellis and walked to start things. Puig lined a hard one up the middle that was kicked by pitcher Jonathan Pettibone, forcing Schumaker at second in an unlucky play.
Adrian Gonzalez singled to put two on. Matt Kemp hit cleanup in his second start back from the DL, and his RBI single over the third base bag made it 1-0. Andre Ethier skied one off the wall in center to bring home two, and it was 3-0.
That would be it for the Dodgers for awhile, as about the only thing they did until the seventh was have Nick Punto single, steal second, and get sacrificed over to third in the second, but get stranded. In fact, Pettibone completely shut them down by retiring 15 straight before getting pulled in the seventh.
The Phillies not only chipped away after the first, they ended up taking a brief lead. Dominic Brown launched his 21st homer leading off the second, tied for tops in the NL with Carlos Gonzalez. There hasn't been a whole lot to go right for the Phillies this year, but Brown has certainly been one of them.
Greinke was far from sharp all night, as he ran many counts to 3-2 thanks to relentless nibbling at the corners. In the fifth, he gave away the lead, though it could have been so much worse. With one out, Pettibone singled, and Ben Revere reached on an infield single. Chase Utley hit an RBI single to center to make it 3-2. Jimmy Rollins followed with his own RBI single to tie the game at 3-3.
With momentum clearly on the Phillies' side, they really screwed it up. Ryan Howard had a 3-0 count and was turned loose. That's a good idea if you square up a fat pitch. It's not if you bounce one in front of the plate for the 1-6-3 double play. Just horrible execution by a veteran hitter like Howard.
Greinke stayed on to pitch the seventh and almost got out of it unscathed, but fell victim to a two-out, solo shot from Utley to put the Phillies up 4-3. Puig nearly fell victim to a broken body after crashing into the wall trying to cach it. Thankfully he was fine, but after starting the game on fire, the Dodgers gave it all away.
Ah, but these are not the same Dodgers from even a couple weeks ago. These guys fight back, and it showed in the bottom of the seventh. Justin De Fratus relieved, which was a good thing considering the Dodgers looked lost after the first inning against Pettibone. Maybe the kid will go on to have a great career, but man... it's hard to believe he can set down 15 straight. But he did.
Anyway, like many other times when teams have big innings, it starts with a walk, and it did here to A.J. Ellis. Howard apparently was not done handing over favors to the Dodgers, as fell on his butt trying to field an easy bunt from Juan Uribe, failing to get anyone out. That was pretty embarrassing and should have been an error, but that's hometown scoring for ya.
Punto laid down a great sacrifice to advance both runners to scoring position. Don Mattingly then turned to Hanley Ramirez, who started the game on the bench. Charlie Manuel didn't mess around, intentionally walking him to load the bases. It was a great move at first, as Schumaker looked horrible striking out on three pitches.
Then came Puig, who looked awful in missing two outside sliders. De Fratus did the right thing in throwing it again, but should have put it in the dirt, as Puig pulled a two-run single to left to get the lead back at 5-4. Just when you thought the league had him figured out, he shows just how good of a hitter he is.
The Dodgers added one more in the eighth thanks to Kemp. He singled leading off, then stole both second and third with one out, which is always good news after missing time with a hamstring injury. Ellis hit a sac-fly RBI to right, and it was 6-4.
Kenley Jansen got two quick outs to start the ninth before Revere singled to bring up Utley. It was quite a battle with Utley, but Gonzalez gloved a liner for the final out. The save was Jansen's seventh.
This turned into one of those games where the bats go silent after a big start. Credit goes to Pettibone for giving his team a chance to win. He definitely outpitched Greinke, who lasted seven innings for 12 hits, four runs, one walk, and five strikeouts. He's fortunate to get his fifth win, as three double play balls definitely helped him get it.
Puig left his mark with a big hit, but even more encouraging was watching Kemp in the eighth. He looked fresh in stealing two bases and scoring on a fly ball. I think with him we always have to be a bit cautious, as we've seen him go from looking great one day to injured the next. Maybe he's finally healthy and ready to go the rest of the season. He certainly looked that way in this game.
The Dodgers are only six games in back of the NL West-leading Diamondbacks, despite still being in last place. Chris Capuano will look to keep the good times going by toeing the rubber on Friday.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Kershaw starts and Jansen ends a Giant sweep
Ladies and gentlemen, the Dodgers are ready to play some ball.
It took nearly three months, but after beating the Giants 4-2 on Wednesday night to secure a three-game sweep, the Dodgers FINALLY look ready to take off. That's what happens when Team DL gets healthy.
Of course, it also helps that some guy named Clayton Kershaw was on the mound.
For the billionth time, Kershaw was awesome against the hated rivals, coming within three outs of going the distance. He earned his first win since seven starts ago on May 20. That fact alone shows just how lost his offense has been behind him.
The game started off as an old school contest between Kershaw and Tim Lincecum. And I use the phrase "old school" since Lincecum looks like a shell of his former self. But each looked pretty good through five innings.
The Dodgers got the scoring going in the third. Mark Ellis hit leadoff and singled. Yasiel Puig flew out, but Adrian Gonzalez singled right after that. The red hot Hanley Ramirez stroked an RBI single to center, and it was 1-0.
Kershaw was rolling along through everybody not named Buster Posey in the Giants' order. Unfortunately, Posey made sure to leave the biggest mark. After Kershaw walked Marco Scutaro to start the fourth, Posey took a flat breaking ball over the wall in left for the two-run tater, making it 2-1. Man, that guy is something else. Even as a die-hard Dodger fan, he's fun to watch.
The old Dodgers may have rolled over and played dead at this point, even just being down a run. But with new life, they came right back in the fifth. Once again, it was Ramirez to get things going with a one-out single. He then stole second, which is always a great sign after missing time with a bad hamstring injury. An RBI single by Andre Ethier, starting in place of Matt Kemp in center, made it 2-2.
This is where Lincecum showed his more current self, as he pretty much fell apart. Ethier stole second, though I get the feeling that was more luck as the throw was pretty bad. A.J. Ellis ripped an RBI double to left to make it 3-2. Juan Uribe reached on an infield single to third, though to be fair again, it sure looked like an error on a low throw by Pablo Sandoval.
Right after Lincecum uncorked a wild pitch to bring in Ellis to put the Dodgers up 4-2, Bruce Bochy brought the hook on a 2-1 count. Jose Mijares struck out both Skip Schumaker and Kershaw to escape more damage.
Kershaw was fantastic in getting through the seventh and eighth, so Don Mattingly allowed him to go for the complete game as he hovered around 100 pitches. Unfortunately for him, he walked Scutaro on a full count, which meant the end of his evening, as Jansen and Kemp entered the game as part of a double switch.
That damn Posey singled to center right away to put two on with none out. That was all the Giants would do, as Jansen struck out Hunter Pence, did the same to Sandoval on a long at-bat, and got pinch-hitter Brandon Belt to pop to Ramirez to end it. It was Jansen's sixth save.
Let's first take a moment to marvel at just how dominating Kershaw has been against the Giants. In 19 career starts against them, he's 10-4 with a 1.33 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, .177 BAA, and 146 K's in 142 IP. He pretty much shuts down any team, but it's especially sweet to see him own the Giants as much as he does. You can imagine the Giants have tried many different approaches against him by now. None of them work.
Let's also thank Jansen for making us temporarily forget the trainwreck that's been Brandon League. Jansen now has nine strikeouts in his last four innings, as about the only thing hitters have done against his cutter is foul it off or whiff. League is atrocious, so thankfully the Dodgers had someone more than capable of closing the door in the ninth.
Perhaps the best thing about this game, and this series, is that it's been about more than just Puig. Don't get me wrong, that boy deserves all the praise in the world for doing what he does (except for trying to stretch singles into doubles... yuck). But now people are talking about Ramirez, Kershaw, Jansen, and how guys like Ethier and Uribe are playing better. It's now a team thing instead of just one guy.
There's no rest for the Dodgers as they welcome in the Phillies for four. They, too, have had a rough season, as they're three games under .500. Zack Greinke will get the call on Thursday night.
It took nearly three months, but after beating the Giants 4-2 on Wednesday night to secure a three-game sweep, the Dodgers FINALLY look ready to take off. That's what happens when Team DL gets healthy.
Of course, it also helps that some guy named Clayton Kershaw was on the mound.
For the billionth time, Kershaw was awesome against the hated rivals, coming within three outs of going the distance. He earned his first win since seven starts ago on May 20. That fact alone shows just how lost his offense has been behind him.
The game started off as an old school contest between Kershaw and Tim Lincecum. And I use the phrase "old school" since Lincecum looks like a shell of his former self. But each looked pretty good through five innings.
The Dodgers got the scoring going in the third. Mark Ellis hit leadoff and singled. Yasiel Puig flew out, but Adrian Gonzalez singled right after that. The red hot Hanley Ramirez stroked an RBI single to center, and it was 1-0.
Kershaw was rolling along through everybody not named Buster Posey in the Giants' order. Unfortunately, Posey made sure to leave the biggest mark. After Kershaw walked Marco Scutaro to start the fourth, Posey took a flat breaking ball over the wall in left for the two-run tater, making it 2-1. Man, that guy is something else. Even as a die-hard Dodger fan, he's fun to watch.
The old Dodgers may have rolled over and played dead at this point, even just being down a run. But with new life, they came right back in the fifth. Once again, it was Ramirez to get things going with a one-out single. He then stole second, which is always a great sign after missing time with a bad hamstring injury. An RBI single by Andre Ethier, starting in place of Matt Kemp in center, made it 2-2.
This is where Lincecum showed his more current self, as he pretty much fell apart. Ethier stole second, though I get the feeling that was more luck as the throw was pretty bad. A.J. Ellis ripped an RBI double to left to make it 3-2. Juan Uribe reached on an infield single to third, though to be fair again, it sure looked like an error on a low throw by Pablo Sandoval.
Right after Lincecum uncorked a wild pitch to bring in Ellis to put the Dodgers up 4-2, Bruce Bochy brought the hook on a 2-1 count. Jose Mijares struck out both Skip Schumaker and Kershaw to escape more damage.
Kershaw was fantastic in getting through the seventh and eighth, so Don Mattingly allowed him to go for the complete game as he hovered around 100 pitches. Unfortunately for him, he walked Scutaro on a full count, which meant the end of his evening, as Jansen and Kemp entered the game as part of a double switch.
That damn Posey singled to center right away to put two on with none out. That was all the Giants would do, as Jansen struck out Hunter Pence, did the same to Sandoval on a long at-bat, and got pinch-hitter Brandon Belt to pop to Ramirez to end it. It was Jansen's sixth save.
Let's first take a moment to marvel at just how dominating Kershaw has been against the Giants. In 19 career starts against them, he's 10-4 with a 1.33 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, .177 BAA, and 146 K's in 142 IP. He pretty much shuts down any team, but it's especially sweet to see him own the Giants as much as he does. You can imagine the Giants have tried many different approaches against him by now. None of them work.
Let's also thank Jansen for making us temporarily forget the trainwreck that's been Brandon League. Jansen now has nine strikeouts in his last four innings, as about the only thing hitters have done against his cutter is foul it off or whiff. League is atrocious, so thankfully the Dodgers had someone more than capable of closing the door in the ninth.
Perhaps the best thing about this game, and this series, is that it's been about more than just Puig. Don't get me wrong, that boy deserves all the praise in the world for doing what he does (except for trying to stretch singles into doubles... yuck). But now people are talking about Ramirez, Kershaw, Jansen, and how guys like Ethier and Uribe are playing better. It's now a team thing instead of just one guy.
There's no rest for the Dodgers as they welcome in the Phillies for four. They, too, have had a rough season, as they're three games under .500. Zack Greinke will get the call on Thursday night.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Is this turning point in the Dodgers' season?
Just as Matt Kemp made a fantastic catch near the wall in center to give the Dodgers a 6-5 win on Tuesday night, something became apparent that hasn't happened all season.
The Dodgers may finally be ready to start winning.
The win marked four straight, which hasn't happened all year. That's hard to believe that at no point in a three-month span they've managed to even accidentally win four in a row, but it's true. Issues on both sides of the field to go along with countless injuries have made this a first half to largely forget.
Over the last few days, however, things have slowly started to look up. Here are five things that have gone right and are giving Dodger fans reasons for getting excited.
1) Yasiel Puig. To put in perspective just how enormous he's been this season, take this into account: an 0-for-4 night on Tuesday DROPPED his average to .420. Yup, I'd say he's pretty darn good.
His average won't always be this high, so he'll start to gradually level off. But that's OK. He's been so electric in the field and powerful at the plate, his mere presence gives the Dodgers an added edge, much like the arrival of Manny Ramirez in 2008. His impact alone hasn't carried the Dodgers, but combined with the returns of Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp, it certainly can.
2) Hanley Ramirez. For the first time all season, Ramirez is healthy and letting it rip. He is absolutely smashing the ball right now. In 50 at-bats since coming off the DL earlier in June, he's hitting .340 with three doubles, four homers, and 12 RBIs.
Perhaps most encouraging are the comments made my Ramirez himself. In his mind, this is the best he's felt at the plate since 2009. How good was he that year? .342, 42 doubles, 24 homers, 106 RBIs. Holy crap. If he truly does feel this good, then look out. He's going to remind people all over again why he's one of the best in the majors.
3) Matt Kemp is back from the DL. Time will tell how effective he'll be, or even how healthy he is. But in one game, he already showed how much the Dodgers need him. He singled in the sixth, then ended up scoring from second on a single by Tim Federowicz, showing great speed. Then there was the catch to keep the lead in the ninth as the Giants had two on and two out. He had to range back and make the catch without crashing into the wall. A very difficult play, especially for someone who hasn't played center in about a month.
It's easy to think that Kemp should automatically be the powerhouse performer circa 2011, but he's a different player right now. Injuries have taken their toll the last couple of seasons. What the Dodgers can hope for is that he plays a great center field and doesn't strikeout too much. The big hits will come if he can stay disciplined and not try to win it all every at-bat.
4) Kenley Jansen is the closer. Need more proof that Jansen was the right call over Brandon League as the team's closer? Look no further than Tuesday night. Jansen needed rest, so League was given a chance to close out a three-run game and was absolutely abysmal. Three straight hits nearly handed the lead right back. Thankfully Paco Rodiguez and Kemp's final catch helped keep the lead, but barely.
Jansen blew his first save after being named closer a couple weeks back, but has since made three straight dominating appearances, striking out eight in three innings, while collecting two saves. That's the type of pitcher we know he can be. But let's face it, anybody is better than League!
5) The back end of the rotation is stepping up. The Dodgers have cycled through starting pitcher after starting pitcher the whole season with mixed results. For every great Clayton Kershaw start, there's been a walkfest by Matt Magill. But, the last handful of starts by Stephen Fife and Chris Capuano have been very encouraging. Combine that with Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu, and the Dodgers may finally have a settled rotation.
Keep in mind that Chad Billingsley, Josh Beckett, and Ted Lilly are currently on the shelf. We know Billingsley is gone for the year and Beckett is a giant question mark. Lilly seems like he's close to returning, so I'm sure he'll get some action either in the bullpen or as a spot starter. If we've learned anything about this team, it's that they can use all the healthy arms they can get.
It's not like the Dodgers are without flaws, but I will say this: if Kershaw can once again outduel Tim Lincecum to complete the three-game sweep of the Giants on Wednesday, then this is definitely the turning point of the season. In the NL West where the division-leading Diamondbacks are a mere six games over .500, the improved Dodgers can start chipping away at their seven-game deficit heading into the All-Star break.
The Dodgers may finally be ready to start winning.
The win marked four straight, which hasn't happened all year. That's hard to believe that at no point in a three-month span they've managed to even accidentally win four in a row, but it's true. Issues on both sides of the field to go along with countless injuries have made this a first half to largely forget.
Over the last few days, however, things have slowly started to look up. Here are five things that have gone right and are giving Dodger fans reasons for getting excited.
1) Yasiel Puig. To put in perspective just how enormous he's been this season, take this into account: an 0-for-4 night on Tuesday DROPPED his average to .420. Yup, I'd say he's pretty darn good.
His average won't always be this high, so he'll start to gradually level off. But that's OK. He's been so electric in the field and powerful at the plate, his mere presence gives the Dodgers an added edge, much like the arrival of Manny Ramirez in 2008. His impact alone hasn't carried the Dodgers, but combined with the returns of Hanley Ramirez and Matt Kemp, it certainly can.
2) Hanley Ramirez. For the first time all season, Ramirez is healthy and letting it rip. He is absolutely smashing the ball right now. In 50 at-bats since coming off the DL earlier in June, he's hitting .340 with three doubles, four homers, and 12 RBIs.
Perhaps most encouraging are the comments made my Ramirez himself. In his mind, this is the best he's felt at the plate since 2009. How good was he that year? .342, 42 doubles, 24 homers, 106 RBIs. Holy crap. If he truly does feel this good, then look out. He's going to remind people all over again why he's one of the best in the majors.
3) Matt Kemp is back from the DL. Time will tell how effective he'll be, or even how healthy he is. But in one game, he already showed how much the Dodgers need him. He singled in the sixth, then ended up scoring from second on a single by Tim Federowicz, showing great speed. Then there was the catch to keep the lead in the ninth as the Giants had two on and two out. He had to range back and make the catch without crashing into the wall. A very difficult play, especially for someone who hasn't played center in about a month.
It's easy to think that Kemp should automatically be the powerhouse performer circa 2011, but he's a different player right now. Injuries have taken their toll the last couple of seasons. What the Dodgers can hope for is that he plays a great center field and doesn't strikeout too much. The big hits will come if he can stay disciplined and not try to win it all every at-bat.
4) Kenley Jansen is the closer. Need more proof that Jansen was the right call over Brandon League as the team's closer? Look no further than Tuesday night. Jansen needed rest, so League was given a chance to close out a three-run game and was absolutely abysmal. Three straight hits nearly handed the lead right back. Thankfully Paco Rodiguez and Kemp's final catch helped keep the lead, but barely.
Jansen blew his first save after being named closer a couple weeks back, but has since made three straight dominating appearances, striking out eight in three innings, while collecting two saves. That's the type of pitcher we know he can be. But let's face it, anybody is better than League!
5) The back end of the rotation is stepping up. The Dodgers have cycled through starting pitcher after starting pitcher the whole season with mixed results. For every great Clayton Kershaw start, there's been a walkfest by Matt Magill. But, the last handful of starts by Stephen Fife and Chris Capuano have been very encouraging. Combine that with Kershaw, Zack Greinke, and Hyun-Jin Ryu, and the Dodgers may finally have a settled rotation.
Keep in mind that Chad Billingsley, Josh Beckett, and Ted Lilly are currently on the shelf. We know Billingsley is gone for the year and Beckett is a giant question mark. Lilly seems like he's close to returning, so I'm sure he'll get some action either in the bullpen or as a spot starter. If we've learned anything about this team, it's that they can use all the healthy arms they can get.
It's not like the Dodgers are without flaws, but I will say this: if Kershaw can once again outduel Tim Lincecum to complete the three-game sweep of the Giants on Wednesday, then this is definitely the turning point of the season. In the NL West where the division-leading Diamondbacks are a mere six games over .500, the improved Dodgers can start chipping away at their seven-game deficit heading into the All-Star break.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Gonzo and Hanley power up for late win
Needing a lift after blowing a late lead again, the Dodgers turned to the heart of their order.
Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez took it from there.
With the score tied 1-1 and closer Huston Street on the mound, Gonzalez hit a laser out to right for the 2-1 lead. As the Dodgers were celebrating, Ramirez smashed the next pitch over the wall in right as well to continue his hot hitting. Kenley Jansen struck out Kyle Blanks for the save, giving the Dodgers a 3-1 victory. The win gives them two straight, something they haven't done since beating the Braves on June 6 and 7.
Yes, it's been that long. But like I said after last game, you have to start somewhere, right?
On paper, this one didn't look like much of a pitcher's duel between Chris Capuano and Andrew Cashner, but that's exactly what it turned into. Capuano was especially impressive considering he was going on three-day's rest, and was limited to a pitch count of 75. He made it through five innings unharmed, with only two hitters reaching second.
Cashner was just as good if not better, as the Dodgers couldn't do a lick against him through six innings, only gathering two hits. It sure looked like one of those days where the first team to score would win.
Well, that ended up being true, but each team did score in the seventh. It started with the Dodgers, as Gonzalez hit a leadoff double to right. He went to third on a groundout by Ramirez. Andre Ethier had a chance to drive in a run, but predictably grounded out.
That left it up to Juan Uribe, who came through with a sharp RBI double to right, making it 1-0. That was his second one of the day, which are two more than he had in his first couple of years combined in LA. Or something like that.
Peter Moylan pitched the inning before without any problems, but it took all of one batter to turn that around in the seventh. Of course it had to be that damn Carlos Quentin to tie it up with a long homer out to left. Figures.
Paco Rodriguez and Brandon League combined to shut down the eighth, so Bud Black turned to Street to keep the score as is in the ninth. Um, it didn't work. Street did strikeout Yasiel Puig on outside sliders, which is turning into the out pitch against him. Puig will have to learn to not chase those, no matter how badly he wants to kill everything. That's youth for ya.
Gonzalez and Ramirez hit their back-to-back jacks with one out, paving the way for Jansen. Chris Denorfia hit a soft liner to center that held up just long enough for Ethier to make a sliding catch on. Hey, at least Ethier's defense hasn't suffered, as that was a great play. Quentin singled to keep the game going, but Blanks K'd to end it, giving Jansen his fourth save.
If Matt Kemp truly is on his way back, then Don Mattingly may finally be able to pencil in a lineup that actually makes him smile. Imagine putting Puig, Gonzalez, Ramirez, and Kemp consecutively in some sort of order. That has some serious potential. Of course, "potential" means they haven't done anything yet, so they'll have to prove it on the field. But the track records are there, even for young Puig.
The late offensive heroics were sweet, but let's not forget the strong start of Capuano, who started the year in the bullpen, has spent time on the DL, and now made a start on short rest. Five innings, four hits, no runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. That's some good stuff. His off-speed pitches were located well, and he made the big pitch when needed. Good for him.
The All-Star break is slowly creeping closer, so the Dodgers don't have much time to at least get out of the cellar before it comes. They will spend the next week at home, as they welcome the Giants for three, then the Phillies for four. Hopefully Kemp will join them at some point during this homestand, although going 0-for-5 with four K's in a Triple-A rehab start probably means he's not quite ready.
Up first is a Monday night battle with the Giants. Hyun-Jin Ryu will get the call against Madison Bumgarner. The Dodgers have already lost five of six to their rivals this season, so they'll look to get a couple back.
Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez took it from there.
With the score tied 1-1 and closer Huston Street on the mound, Gonzalez hit a laser out to right for the 2-1 lead. As the Dodgers were celebrating, Ramirez smashed the next pitch over the wall in right as well to continue his hot hitting. Kenley Jansen struck out Kyle Blanks for the save, giving the Dodgers a 3-1 victory. The win gives them two straight, something they haven't done since beating the Braves on June 6 and 7.
Yes, it's been that long. But like I said after last game, you have to start somewhere, right?
On paper, this one didn't look like much of a pitcher's duel between Chris Capuano and Andrew Cashner, but that's exactly what it turned into. Capuano was especially impressive considering he was going on three-day's rest, and was limited to a pitch count of 75. He made it through five innings unharmed, with only two hitters reaching second.
Cashner was just as good if not better, as the Dodgers couldn't do a lick against him through six innings, only gathering two hits. It sure looked like one of those days where the first team to score would win.
Well, that ended up being true, but each team did score in the seventh. It started with the Dodgers, as Gonzalez hit a leadoff double to right. He went to third on a groundout by Ramirez. Andre Ethier had a chance to drive in a run, but predictably grounded out.
That left it up to Juan Uribe, who came through with a sharp RBI double to right, making it 1-0. That was his second one of the day, which are two more than he had in his first couple of years combined in LA. Or something like that.
Peter Moylan pitched the inning before without any problems, but it took all of one batter to turn that around in the seventh. Of course it had to be that damn Carlos Quentin to tie it up with a long homer out to left. Figures.
Paco Rodriguez and Brandon League combined to shut down the eighth, so Bud Black turned to Street to keep the score as is in the ninth. Um, it didn't work. Street did strikeout Yasiel Puig on outside sliders, which is turning into the out pitch against him. Puig will have to learn to not chase those, no matter how badly he wants to kill everything. That's youth for ya.
Gonzalez and Ramirez hit their back-to-back jacks with one out, paving the way for Jansen. Chris Denorfia hit a soft liner to center that held up just long enough for Ethier to make a sliding catch on. Hey, at least Ethier's defense hasn't suffered, as that was a great play. Quentin singled to keep the game going, but Blanks K'd to end it, giving Jansen his fourth save.
If Matt Kemp truly is on his way back, then Don Mattingly may finally be able to pencil in a lineup that actually makes him smile. Imagine putting Puig, Gonzalez, Ramirez, and Kemp consecutively in some sort of order. That has some serious potential. Of course, "potential" means they haven't done anything yet, so they'll have to prove it on the field. But the track records are there, even for young Puig.
The late offensive heroics were sweet, but let's not forget the strong start of Capuano, who started the year in the bullpen, has spent time on the DL, and now made a start on short rest. Five innings, four hits, no runs, no walks, and five strikeouts. That's some good stuff. His off-speed pitches were located well, and he made the big pitch when needed. Good for him.
The All-Star break is slowly creeping closer, so the Dodgers don't have much time to at least get out of the cellar before it comes. They will spend the next week at home, as they welcome the Giants for three, then the Phillies for four. Hopefully Kemp will join them at some point during this homestand, although going 0-for-5 with four K's in a Triple-A rehab start probably means he's not quite ready.
Up first is a Monday night battle with the Giants. Hyun-Jin Ryu will get the call against Madison Bumgarner. The Dodgers have already lost five of six to their rivals this season, so they'll look to get a couple back.
Greinke's best start is sweet revenge
Zack Greinke needed a big start to get back on track. He chose no better place to do so than Petco Park on Saturday night.
Returning to the scene of the crime, Greinke pitched eight dominant innings in his first start in San Diego since breaking his collarbone in a brawl this past April. His offense took six innings to get going, but homers by Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez helped get the win, 6-1. The victory was only their fourth in the last 13 games. But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?
The game was quite odd for awhile because the Dodgers had no hits through five innings, yet held a 1-0 lead. With one out in the fifth, Edinson Volquez lost all control by walking Juan Uribe, A.J. Ellis, and Greinke to load the bases. Skip Schumaker hit leadoff and bounced one to second for the sure first double play ball, but was called safe after a head first slide into first.
Was he really safe? Uh, no. But who cares? I'll take it.
Still hitless entering the sixth, old Padre Gonzalez changed all of that. He launched his first homer since June 3 with a solo shot out to center to go up 2-0. He's been slumping lately, so if he can start hitting again to go along with Ramirez, Yasiel Puig, and the returning Matt Kemp, maybe the Dodgers really can score some runs again. Maybe.
Andre Ethier took a walk with one out and Mark Ellis singled. After Ellis stole second, A.J. Ellis grounded an easy one to short that went underneath Pedro Ciriaco's glove, scoring both to make it 4-0. An RBI single by Schumaker soon followed, and it was 5-0.
Ramirez got in on the fun in the seventh, as he absolutely unloaded on a solo shot measured at 434 feet. Considering how high it landed off the building in left, I'm guessing that's a bit short. Anyway, he's been scorching the ball since coming off the DL, which is a great sign.
Greinke's only blemish was giving up an RBI double to Jesus Guzman in the eighth. After getting out the inning, Kenley Jansen finished things off with two strikeouts in the ninth.
There are three reasons why this was a great start for Greinke. One, he personally needed to get some revenge for that idiot Carlos Quentin charging the mound in April. How great was it to see Greinke strike him out in the first? Maybe that moron should worry more about his .256 average and less about people supposedly throwing at him. Why bean someone who can't hit anymore?
Two, the Dodgers dropped a bad one on Friday night, which saw Clayton Kershaw get roughed up. Kershaw has picked up so many guys in the past after bad starts, it's nice to see someone have his back for once.
Lastly, Greinke simply needed to start pitching better. He entered this game with a 5.02 ERA in seven starts since coming off the DL. Not exactly ace-like stuff. The Padres have been playing much better lately, and while there's no way they're a true contender, this was still a big start for him. Four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts reflect his best line of the season.
The offense still left 10 on base, but did more than just hit singles the whole night. I don't think any of us expected to see two homers in the same game. Yes, that's how futile they've been at the plate this season. Granted, the horrible error by Ciriaco gift wrapped the Dodgers two runs, but they still would have been winning even without that.
Let's see how the Dodgers come out on Sunday. Chris Capuano talked Don Mattingly into making the start on short rest (three days), and he'll be limited to about 75 pitches. So that means we can expect plenty of bullpen action. Oh joy. Maybe the bats can lead the charge.
Returning to the scene of the crime, Greinke pitched eight dominant innings in his first start in San Diego since breaking his collarbone in a brawl this past April. His offense took six innings to get going, but homers by Adrian Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez helped get the win, 6-1. The victory was only their fourth in the last 13 games. But hey, you have to start somewhere, right?
The game was quite odd for awhile because the Dodgers had no hits through five innings, yet held a 1-0 lead. With one out in the fifth, Edinson Volquez lost all control by walking Juan Uribe, A.J. Ellis, and Greinke to load the bases. Skip Schumaker hit leadoff and bounced one to second for the sure first double play ball, but was called safe after a head first slide into first.
Was he really safe? Uh, no. But who cares? I'll take it.
Still hitless entering the sixth, old Padre Gonzalez changed all of that. He launched his first homer since June 3 with a solo shot out to center to go up 2-0. He's been slumping lately, so if he can start hitting again to go along with Ramirez, Yasiel Puig, and the returning Matt Kemp, maybe the Dodgers really can score some runs again. Maybe.
Andre Ethier took a walk with one out and Mark Ellis singled. After Ellis stole second, A.J. Ellis grounded an easy one to short that went underneath Pedro Ciriaco's glove, scoring both to make it 4-0. An RBI single by Schumaker soon followed, and it was 5-0.
Ramirez got in on the fun in the seventh, as he absolutely unloaded on a solo shot measured at 434 feet. Considering how high it landed off the building in left, I'm guessing that's a bit short. Anyway, he's been scorching the ball since coming off the DL, which is a great sign.
Greinke's only blemish was giving up an RBI double to Jesus Guzman in the eighth. After getting out the inning, Kenley Jansen finished things off with two strikeouts in the ninth.
There are three reasons why this was a great start for Greinke. One, he personally needed to get some revenge for that idiot Carlos Quentin charging the mound in April. How great was it to see Greinke strike him out in the first? Maybe that moron should worry more about his .256 average and less about people supposedly throwing at him. Why bean someone who can't hit anymore?
Two, the Dodgers dropped a bad one on Friday night, which saw Clayton Kershaw get roughed up. Kershaw has picked up so many guys in the past after bad starts, it's nice to see someone have his back for once.
Lastly, Greinke simply needed to start pitching better. He entered this game with a 5.02 ERA in seven starts since coming off the DL. Not exactly ace-like stuff. The Padres have been playing much better lately, and while there's no way they're a true contender, this was still a big start for him. Four hits, one walk, and eight strikeouts reflect his best line of the season.
The offense still left 10 on base, but did more than just hit singles the whole night. I don't think any of us expected to see two homers in the same game. Yes, that's how futile they've been at the plate this season. Granted, the horrible error by Ciriaco gift wrapped the Dodgers two runs, but they still would have been winning even without that.
Let's see how the Dodgers come out on Sunday. Chris Capuano talked Don Mattingly into making the start on short rest (three days), and he'll be limited to about 75 pitches. So that means we can expect plenty of bullpen action. Oh joy. Maybe the bats can lead the charge.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Kemp on pace to return in a week
For a team still struggling mightily to score runs, the return of Matt Kemp can't come soon enough.
That return looks like a reality as Kemp will play three games with Triple-A Albuquerque with an eye on returning against either the Giants or Phillies at the end of next week. His biggest hurdle was running the bases, which he did without incident before Friday night's game in San Diego.
Unfortunately with Kemp, he's been so banged up the last couple of years, we have to temper our expectations when he does return. It's easy to expect the MVP-like numbers he had in 2011, but this is not the same player because of injuries. He COULD be the same player, no doubt, but it's not going to happen overnight. Give it time.
Unfortunately (again), time is not something on the Dodgers' side these days. They're sitting in last place of the NL West with an embarrassing 30-42 record, 9 1/2 games in back of the Diamondbacks. That same record would put them even further back in every other division, so they can consider themselves lucky at the same time.
Assuming Kemp returns when it's speculated, that'll give him about 15 games before the All-Star break, minus some time off here and there. Those games should get him back into the rhythm of baseball again. His goal should be to be at full strength after the break, where he will hopefully put the bad start to the season behind him and be ready to roll.
That return looks like a reality as Kemp will play three games with Triple-A Albuquerque with an eye on returning against either the Giants or Phillies at the end of next week. His biggest hurdle was running the bases, which he did without incident before Friday night's game in San Diego.
Unfortunately with Kemp, he's been so banged up the last couple of years, we have to temper our expectations when he does return. It's easy to expect the MVP-like numbers he had in 2011, but this is not the same player because of injuries. He COULD be the same player, no doubt, but it's not going to happen overnight. Give it time.
Unfortunately (again), time is not something on the Dodgers' side these days. They're sitting in last place of the NL West with an embarrassing 30-42 record, 9 1/2 games in back of the Diamondbacks. That same record would put them even further back in every other division, so they can consider themselves lucky at the same time.
Assuming Kemp returns when it's speculated, that'll give him about 15 games before the All-Star break, minus some time off here and there. Those games should get him back into the rhythm of baseball again. His goal should be to be at full strength after the break, where he will hopefully put the bad start to the season behind him and be ready to roll.
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