Loney's grand slam carries Dodgers past Cubs

Wow, what a way to start the postseason!

For the first time in... well, forever... the Dodgers were clicking on all cylinders by hitting 3 home runs as they cruised past the Chicago Cubs in Game 1, 7-2. Down 2-0 in the 5th, the Dodgers ran off 7 straight runs to put the game away with ease.

The game started off with Ryan Dempster and Derek Lowe displaying why they were the Game 1 starters. Dempster got Rafael Furcal swinging, and after a walk to Russell Martin, got Manny Ramirez to ground into a DP. Lowe came right back a strikeout of Alfonso Soriano, and retired Kosuke Fukudome and Aramis Ramirez on grounders.

Things started to have a familiar feeling in the 2nd, as Mark DeRosa hit a 2-run homer that just got out in right. Lowe was pitching very well, but elevated one just a bit too much around the outside of the plate. For us Dodger fans, you couldn't help but start thinking "here we go again" when that was hit. Little did we know, that would be it for the Cubs on this night.

The Dodgers had their chances in the 3rd when the bases were loaded with 2 down, but Andre Ethier struck out swinging on a 3-2 count on a pitch low and away. While the Dodgers in the past would have wilted away, this team kept battling and turned the game around in the 5th. Dempster did them a huge favor by walking Furcal, Manny, and Ethier with 2 down.

James Loney then stepped up and became an instant LA star with a HUGE grand slam to dead center to give the Dodgers the lead for good. Up 4-2, the Dodgers never looked back.

More runs were tacked on eventually, starting in the 7th when Manny golfed one out to left. That was his 25th postseason homer, which extends his own record. In the 8th, Casey Blake singled up the middle to score Blake DeWitt, who tripled off of Jeff Samardzija to lead off. Finally, Martin hit a solo shot in the 9th to round out the scoring.

The Dodgers didn't miss a beat tonight, and it was their most dominant postseason outing since Orel Hershiser won Game 5 of the 1988 World Series. That's kind of hard to believe it's been that long, but it has. Jose Lima's gem in the 2004 NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals was fantastic, but the way the Dodgers hit tonight, this was better.

Lots of heroes to go around, but let's start with Lowe. He finished at 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K. His lone blemish was the homer from DeRosa, and other than that, he was dealing all night. Cory Wade pitched a scoreless 7th, followed by Jonathan Broxton shutting down the 8th. Greg Maddux of all people finished out the game in the 9th, only allowing 1 hit. That was a weird sight seeing him come in, but it worked.

Loney's granny, the 3rd in Dodgers postseason history, could be a hit we're talking about for a long time. Up until then, it looked like the Dodgers of old that would threaten, but never follow through with that big hit. Not tonight! Manny and DeWitt each had 2 hits, Martin reached twice, and Raffy drew 2 walks.

With 1 game in their favor, it's time to get greedy. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, it's still great to at least get 1 in Chicago. But with Chad Billingsley taking the mound, they can definitely get another one before heading home. Can you imagine if they go up 2-0? Man, I can't even comprehend that right now! But it's absolutely within reach.

I wouldn't expect any lineup changes tomorrow. Raffy didn't get a hit, but got on base and is still a threat, so he'll be in there again. Carlos Zambrano recently threw a no-hitter, then has looked like crap. Is he out of gas? Let's hope so!

I can't wait for Thursday night's game. Bring on the Cubs!!!

McDonald replaces Troncoso

Here's a surprise that I'm sure young James McDonald never thought he'd hear: he will replace Ramon Troncoso as the final man on the 25-man roster for the NLDS. Joe Torre had originally said it would be Troncoso over Scott Proctor, but obviously changed his mind after a night thinking about it.

I guess the thinking is that McDonald has a fresh, young arm that hitters aren't familiar with yet. I can go for that. I'm not sure what the chances of him pitching a meaningful inning is, but we shall see.

He's only appeared in 4 games, but they've all been good. Twice he's pitched 2 innings, and twice 1, and hasn't given up a run in any of them. 5 hits and 1 walk in 6 innings is great. True, it's not exactly a big piece of the season that we're judging him on, but I think he's earned his way to the postseason. Good for him.

25-man roster all set for the NLDS

I guess it won't take until tomorrow to find out the roster for the NLDS against the Chicago Cubs. Here you go:

Pitchers:
Derek Lowe - S/RH
Chad Billingsley - S/RH
Hiroki Kuroda - S/RH
Greg Maddux - LR/RH
Clayton Kershaw - LR/LH
Ramon Troncoso - R/RH
Cory Wade - R/RH
Joe Beimel - R/LH
Chan Ho Park - R/RH
Jonathan Broxton - C/RH
Takashi Saito - C/RH

Key: S = Starter, LR = Long Reliever, R = Reliever, C = Closer

Offense:
Russell Martin - C
Danny Ardoin - C
James Loney - 1B
Nomar Garciaparra - 1B/Utility
Blake DeWitt - 2B
Jeff Kent - 2B
Rafael Furcal - SS
Angel Berroa - SS
Casey Blake - 3B
Manny Ramirez - LF
Matt Kemp - CF
Andre Ethier - RF
Juan Pierre - OF
Pablo Ozuna - Utility

So there you have it. The biggest surprise in my mind was taking Ramon Troncoso over Scott Proctor. I had talked plenty about how good Proctor looked when he came back from injury... then promptly got hit around hard against San Francisco in the last weekend. Torre likes Troncoso's sinkerball, and facing so many right-handed hitters this series, it makes sense.

The other surprise might be seeing Pablo Ozuna's name, but I think Torre had hinted all along that he would go in that direction. Mark Sweeney could have easily taken this spot, but after hitting .130, he played his way right out of that role. Delwyn Young was another player on the fence that just misses out.

With 11 pitchers, the lone lefty on the bench is Pierre, which could be a problem, but we will see.

Lineup for Game 1 is released

Joe Torre has made up his mind, and here is your official lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS tomorrow in Chicago:

1. Rafael Furcal - SS
2. Russell Martin - C
3. Manny Ramirez - LF
4. Andre Ethier - RF
5. James Loney - 1B
6. Matt Kemp - CF
7. Blake DeWitt - 2B
8. Casey Blake - 3B
9. Derek Lowe - P

The first thing that jumps out to everyone is that Furcal has convinced Torre that he's healthy enough to not only play, but be a big factor. While some may point to how well Angel Berroa has played lately, I think Raffy deserves this kind of treatment. After the way he started the season so red-hot, if he says he's good to go, then they should take his word for it.

I was a bit surprised to see Blake in the #8 spot, but that may have more to do with Torre wanting his left-handed hitters bunched up against the righty Ryan Dempster. It's understandable. If we get to a Game 4 and Ted Lilly takes the mound, then Blake will more than likely find himself hitting higher.

From what I can tell, sometime tomorrow afternoon is when the official rosters need to be in for the first round. What we do know is that Raffy is in, Jeff Kent is probably in, and Hong-Chih Kuo is out.

Key postseason questions for the Dodgers

I'm kicking around a bunch of different thoughts running through my head about the playoffs. In my view, here's some questions the Dodgers will be faced come gametime on Wednesday:

• Will Derek Lowe continue his great pitching over the second half of the season and be a true ace in Game 1?
• If Lowe falls, will Chad Billingsley step up to the pressure of Wrigley Field and a deficit and get the job done?
• Can Manny pick up where he left off in his Red Sox career and be a postseason hero?
• Will Andre Ethier continue his red-hot hitting when it most counts?
• Can Russell Martin limit the Cubs' running game?
• What roles to Rafael Furcal and Jeff Kent play? Can they accept not being starters?
• Will Blake DeWitt and Angel Berroa control the middle of the infield and give production at the bottom of the order?
• Will the loss of Hong-Chih Kuo be too much of a hole to fill?
• Can Jonathan Broxton handle being a closer in the postseason, even with little experience in his career?
• Is Takashi Saito ready to resume a big role in late innings?
• What happens if a 4th starter is needed? Can Greg Maddux be the Mad Dog, or a postseason flop late in his career?
• Can the Dodgers at least get one win on the road before returning home to LA?

I know, that's a lot of questions, but they are important. I still have not seen a finalized 25-man roster for the first round, so who knows if someone like Greg Maddux will even be in the mix. I'll let you know when I do.

To whet your appetite for Game 1...

Here's a great breakdown of the Dodgers-Cubs NLDS. The article focuses mainly on the team's strengths, like the Dodgers' great pitching against the Cubs' power offense. It's short, sweet, and to the point.

Dodgers-Cubs NLDS breakdown

Kuo is a no-go in Round 1

While the returns of Rafael Furcal and Jeff Kent have been encouraging, the news today that Hong-Chih Kuo will have to sit out at least the first round of the playoffs is seen as a tough blow. Kuo complained of having no feeling in his fingers while warming up Saturday night in San Francisco. Yikes.

This is scarily reminiscent of the last time the Dodgers were in the playoffs in 2006. Joe Beimel was their main lefty reliever, and we all remember how he cut his hand in a bar right before the start of hte series vs. the Mets and couldn't pitch. Now, while they do have Beimel still (alcohol free), another strong lefty from the 'pen is out. Not good.

Look for Clayton Kershaw to be counted on more than usual, as he will be the only lefty in the 'pen to go along with Beimel.

Dodgers to take on the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS

As I mentioned before, the Dodgers will travel to take on the Chicago Cubs starting on Wednesday, October 1 at 6:30 ET. With the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins still battling for the last spot over in the American League, I'm sure all the times are still being worked out.

All I know is that the schedule will look like this:

Game 1 - Wednesday, Oct. 1 in Chicago, 6:30 ET
Game 2 - Thursday, Oct. 2 in Chicago, 9:30 ET
Game 3 - Saturday, Oct. 4 in LA, 10:00 ET
Game 4 (if nec.) - Sunday, Oct. 5 in LA
Game 5 (if nec.) - Tuesday, Oct. 7 in Chicago

Look for a breakdown on the matchup in the next couple of days before the first pitch is thrown on Wednesday.

Go Dodgers!!!

Dodgers end the season 84-78

Tim Lincecum improved to 18-5 while finishing with an MLB- best 285 K's as the San Francisco Giants beat the Dodgers on the last day of the regular season, 3-1. The Giants and Dodgers faced each other 18 times this season (splitting 9-9), but this was only the 2nd start from Lincecum in a bit of lucky scheduling. Man, am I glad it worked out that way.

With the New York Mets choking away the NL Wild Card (and NL East earlier) and the Milwaukee Brewers getting in, the Dodgers knew at some point during the game that they'd now open in Chicago against the Cubs on Wednesday. So, while some of the regulars played, it was a blow off day for the most part.

This game was 1-0 Dodgers for most of the way, thanks to an RBI double by Andre Ethier in the 4th to plate Juan Pierre. Hiroki Kuroda was fantastic in his final tuneup before he goes in Game 3 at Dodger Stadium later this week, going 5 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K. Clayton Kershaw followed with a shaky inning in which the bases were loaded with 1 down, but John Bowker lined into a double play to end the inning.

Maybe I'm being picky here (can't help it), but for the 2nd time in 3 nights, the main relievers really looked pretty bad. Chan Ho Park had the lead to start the 7th, but was easily hit around, surrendering 2 runs on 3 hits in 2/3 an inning. Joe Beimel came on and gave up an RBI single to Nick Schierholtz, but was bailed out when he was out stretching to 3rd. Cory Wade could only get 1 out while giving up a run.

I'm sure the mindset has to be totally different in games like this, no matter how much you try to take it as seriously as any other game. The division has been won, so it's not like they were playing for anything. I just hope that guys like Park, Beimel, and Wade will be firing when it counts, because they didn't exactly end the season on the highest of notes.

The only main guys who started and stayed in all game were James Loney, Blake DeWitt, and Angel Berroa (and combined to go 0-11...). The important thing here is that nobody got hurt on the field and they're ready to go to Chicago.

Looks like "manager" Nomar Garciaparra will have to wait for another day before getting that first big win...

Torre names first 3 starters for NLDS

Joe Torre has decided on his first 3 starters for the playoffs this week, and it's really not at all surprising. Derek Lowe goes Game 1, Chad Billingsley in Game 2, and Hiroki Kuroda in Game 3. After that, it's a toss-up.

I think Lowe and Billingsley each have great cases to start the first game, but with the obvious experience edge going to Lowe, it's a good call. Granted, the last time he start Game 1 for the Dodgers back in 2006 against the Mets, it didn't go so well. But this time around, I think we all have a much better feeling about how well he can do.

Billingsley has gone 16-10 with a 3.14 ERA, 201 K's in 200.2 IP, and 1 complete game shutout. Take away Lowe's World Series run with the Red Sox, then it may be him taking the hill first. It really doesn't matter either way. In my mind, it's like having 2 aces go in consecutive games.

Kuroda has one last tuneup today against the San Francisco Giants before he's unleashed in Game 3. We've seen him look absolutely brilliant in some games, and struggle in others. In a way, he reminds me of how Lowe has been in the past, where you never know which pitcher will show up. However, he's earned his way to this spot, so I think he'll be fine.

In other news, Clayton Kershaw will pitch in relief, a role in which he says he's excited for. The Greg Maddux question will be answered soon. His great start Saturday night should earn him some sort of spot one would think.

Saturday night belongs to Maddux

Greg Maddux had 2 goals coming into tonight's game in San Francisco: pitch efficiently enough to earn his way onto the postseason roster and move past Roger Clemens into sole possession of 8th place on the all time wins list.

He exited a winner in both categories.

Needing a big start to prove that the Mad Dog still has plenty to contribute, Maddux went 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. His only blemish was a solo homer in the 4th by Randy Winn. Other than that, he was a ground ball machine, with 10 of his 15 outs coming on the ground. Granted, he was playing the Giants, who are pathetic, but it was still a great start exactly when he needed one.

The Dodgers played this one similar to the last couple of games, with the main guys starting and then coming out towards the middle of the game. It was a little different in that guys like Casey Blake, Matt Kemp, and Russell Martin stayed in the whole game, but it was mostly the B-team. I would comment on if the Giants played their main guys or not, but I honestly have no idea. Their roster is full of guys that I've never even heard of. Wow, what a pitiful season for them.

The scoring wasn't much, but just enough to win. Blake DeWitt hit a solo shot off of Matt Cain in the 3rd to go up 1-0. Winn's homer in the next inning tied it at 1. DeWitt came through again with an RBI single in the 7th to score Blake (uh, that's the other Blake, as in Casey Blake, for those of you confused like me). And that would be it.

Chad Billingsley pitched the 7th and 8th, giving up no runs on 2 hits. He's in line to start Game 2 of the Division Series, so getting some work in was the goal. It was good to see Takashi Saito come on and get his first save since July 9 by retiring the side in order. I figured he'd get a shot tonight at it more because Jonathan Broxton would get a rest after pitching the night before. Will he be the closer in the postseason? I still lean towards no, but we will see.

An interesting moment came in the 8th when some clown named Billy Sadler struck out Blake (not DeWitt, Casey Blake... ah man I'm confused again). Sadler pumped his fist as if he just clinched a playoff spot, which really pissed off Matt Kemp as the 2 were crossing paths. Apparently this Sadler idiot forgot that his team is a joke, and acting like he just won the World Series in that spot is stupid. The benches emptied, but nothing happened. The Dodgers have bigger fish to fry.

The regular season finale is Sunday, and Hiroki Kuroda gets the call. He just received some good news in that he will be starting Game 3 of the playoffs, so this is a bit of a warmup for him. He goes against Tim Lincecum, who's still eyeing the NL Cy Young award, so he has plenty to pitch for. It should be fun to see who Joe Torre lets manage the team, as he's done in the past with the Yankees.

Kuo to get a test today

Hong-Chih Kuo will get an inning of relief work today in an effort to test his left arm. He's been unavailable in the last 3 weeks due to stiffness in his triceps above his surgically-repaired left elbow. If he shows that he can be the shut-down reliever he's done flawlessly all year, it will be a huge lift for the Dodgers going into the playoffs.

A couple other notes for today's game as well. Chad Billingsley will get a couple innings of work to stay sharp for his start on Thursday in Game 2 of the playoffs, wherever that may be.

Finally, because of the iffy status of Kuo and Takashi Saito, Joe Torre said he will take a 11 pitchers on the 25-man playoff roster. If Jeff Kent stays on as a pinch-hitter (seems likely after his crushing homer last night), Pablo Ozuna could get some outfield work in an effort to find a spot for him. If he can't handle that, he could be one of the odd men out.

Giants win wild one

On a meaningless night for the Dodgers, it was the San Francisco Giants who gave their fans at least SOMETHING to make them cheer about.

The Giants came back from a 5-4 hole in the 9th to force extras and Dave Roberts' single with 2 down in the 10th won the game, 6-5. Obviously, the game and result means absolutely nothing to the Dodgers, as nearly everybody on the bench got in the game at some point.

Still, it was a bit disappointing that some of their main relievers didn't get the job done against practically a Triple-A team. The positives was the start by Derek Lowe and the relief appearance by young James McDonald. Lowe got some work in, going 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. McDonald came on next and gave up only 2 hits in 2 innings.

From there, it wasn't as pretty. The other day I talked about how good Scott Proctor looked. Last night? Not so much. He got only 2 outs while giving up 2 runs on 3 hits. Chan Ho Park tried next, but he gave up 2 runs and got 2 outs as well. Jonathan Broxton came on in the 9th, and while an error by Russell Martin didn't help, he still blew the save and didn't look that great. Maybe they're just working the kinks out, at least I hope...

There were 3 homers hit by the Dodgers, though with only 5 runs scored off of them, you probably wouldn't have guessed that. Jeff Kent hit a 2-run shot in the 4th to score Blake DeWitt. With closer Brian Wilson in to start the 9th up 4-2, James Loney rocked a no-doubter to right to get within 1. Danny Ardoin got the start at catcher and singled, part of his 2-3 night, and A.J. Ellis pinch-ran. Martin pinch-hit and hit one out to left to give the Dodgers the lead.

On this night, it didn't matter, as Omar Vizquel's 2 out double in the 10th off of Jason Johnson set up Roberts' winning single. I get the feeling that Vizquel can play until he's 80 and still contribute. Age is no factor with that guy.

Today is potentially a big start for Greg Maddux, who is most likely trying to pitch his way onto the postseason roster. As I've said in the past, he really has been a disappointment with LA, sporting a 1-4 record and 5.71 ERA. He'll be opposed by Matt Cain, who has been rumored to be dangled in the offseason for a bat (which I believe is the right thing to do, in case any Giant fans out there are wondering).

In my mind, the Dodgers have to decide on Clayton Kershaw or Maddux. Do they go with the young arm with great stuff or the veteran who's "been there, done that"? If Maddux struggles against an inferior Giants team today, it would be hard to find a spot for him.

At long last, Raffy makes his return

A day before the Dodgers officially clinched the NL West, they received some great news on the injury front: Rafael Furcal has been activated from the 60-day DL and added to the 40-man roster. In his place, Brad Penny's season is done with right shoulder problems, swapping places with Furcal.

With the Dodgers in the postseason, it will be very interesting to see if Furcal is added to the 25-man roster. Let's face it - he hasn't played in practically forever, and his back may be feeling better, but I would hardly consider it pain-free. I give him a lot of credit for fighting his way back and trying to help the team... and the fact that he's up for a new contract may have something to do with it!

He did get an AB last night against the Padres and struck out. Oh well. Him being back in the fold can only be seen as a good sign. We shall see what the immediate future holds for him in the coming days. Will he be given a start to show if he can contribute? Or will he be like Jeff Kent and Penny, and be unable to be a part of the playoff mix? The answers will soon come.

Then there's the flip side of this, and that's Penny. This has been a lost year for him, as he was originally the opening day starter. It's really been all downhill since then, as 3 trips to the DL have totally derailed his season.

Another interesting note about Penny is that he may be done as a Dodger. The club can either exercise his $9.25 million clause or choose a $2 million buyout. At 6-9 with a 6.27 ERA, it would appear as if he's done, but I wouldn't say that quite yet. If Derek Lowe leaves, that leaves a big hole, and a healthy Penny can fill that. The offseason will be an interesting one for him.

DODGERS WIN THE NL WEST!!!

It's time to pop some bubbly!

The Dodgers have just wrapped up the NL West, all thanks to the Arizona Diamondbacks dropping an afternoon game in St. Louis, 12-3. With Jake Peavy taking the mound tonight and facing a road trip to end the year in San Francisco, it's a sweet feeling to have this all taken care of.

Much more on everything about the playoffs later, but for now, read this and enjoy.

October baseball, here we come!!!