Series of Great Import Part III Game Chat

Posted on September 9, 2012 by Bob Timmermann

Mark Ellis, 2B
Shane Victorino, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Luis Cruz, 3B
Andre Ethier, RF
Juan Rivera, LF
A.J. Ellis, C
Joe Blanton, P

This pinch-hit Dodger Thoughts post is dedicated to Ron Coomer.

I had come up with my own clever Clayton Kershaw pun for today’s game. But do I get to use it? No. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. If all goes well, I can use it on Tuesday when Kershaw should make his next start. Oh, and Matt Kemp should start that day too.

And so we come to: END GAME. Oh wait, there are games after this. Regardless, this should be the Dodgers last game in San Francisco unless they meet in a divisional tiebreaker (although it would be more likely that if the teams tied, the Dodgers would host that tiebreaker because they would have to win the season series). Or they could meet in the wild card game if Arizona goes on a 2007 Rockies-like streak. Or they could meet in the Divisional Series. Or in the NLCS.

Down on the farm, Albuquerque is playing Omaha in a decisive fifth game in their PCL semifinal playoff series. In Game 4, the Isotopes scored nine times in the ninth to turn a 10-3 deficit into a 12-10 win, channeling their inner Petaluma Little League. However, Game 5 is shaping up to be worse for the Isotopes. And at the rate that Dodgers players are dropping by the side of the road, the Dodgers could use a few bodies from the Duke City to help out with the big club.

Update: No late-inning magic for the Isotopes. Their seasoned ended with a 16-7 loss to Omaha.

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Cards win 5-4 in a walkoff

great slide by carpenter

Anonymous

The Cubs are mathematically eliminated!

Anonymous

not from the wild card yet

Anonymous

Wait till next year… On another note, I figure our two spare outfielders next year will be the same as this, Gwynn and Rivera. Gwynn because we have to have a backup for Kemp but we’ll never use him unless Kemp is hurt; Rivera as never used backup to Gonzales. Other three almost certainly Fedex, Punto, and whichever of Cruz or Gordon that isn’t starting. Maybe Hairston Jr to replace Rivera?

Anonymous

For 2013, Rivera has a club option for $4MM with a $500K out clause. It’s not clear whether he’s worth the $3.5K to pick him up for next year. I’d say it’s 50-50. (If it were my decision, I wouldn’t, but I think it’s 50-50 whether the Dodgers will.)

Gwynn will get $1.15MM from the Dodgers to play next year.

Anonymous

Shouldn’t be that hard to sign someone who can play a little first base and outfield for less money than that. Wouldn’t hurt if he were young and healthy and fleet of foot.

Anonymous

I’m not sure there’s all that much difference between Scott Van Slyke, and anyone else we would sign for less than $3.5MM.

Anonymous

So much for fleet of foot….. But the home run possibility comes into play…

Anonymous

So he can entertain the dugout by tapping his feet while sitting on the bench?

Anonymous

I hope we can do better than Rivera as a backup outfielder next year. I would keep Gwynn because he is solid on defense…..Interesting that Cruz is batting ahead of Ethier today.

Anonymous

RHH OPSing 252 points higher than LHH vs Zito
Cruz 4 for 6 with a double; Either 6 for 38 with a double but with 7 walks, 3 HBP, and a SF; but with 8 K’s and 2 GIDP.
The only Dodger with worse #’s against Zito who is starting is Hanley. He is 2 for 21 batting 4th

Anonymous

Dang, almost as much as looking forward to the Kid pitching, it was the Kershaw pun that I was anticipating.
http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

What’s wrong with Kershaw? Hearing on the radio that Blanton was going to replace him instantly moved this game from “probable Dodgers win” to “highly questionable win” status.

Anonymous

Kershawip ache.

Anonymous

Kershawtisone shot required

http://www.facebook.com/people/Casey-Barker/100003908968118 Casey Barker

I like your optimistic post. Bob.
Anonymous

x’d
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Nice hit Mark
http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

Blanton and Kershaw switching spots is probably beneficial to the Dodgers…Blanton would have a real hard time pitching in Arizona but Kershaw should be able to handle it. Anyone can pitch at ATT.
Anonymous

Is this Victorino’s first game with blue batting gloves?

Anonymous

I think not, but he still seems to have red running gloves.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Oh great. Leadoff double, strand him there. Same old, same old.
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Come on DP
Anonymous

I think I see what happened here. First a disclaimer–I’m not great at seeing Strikes and balls on TV feeds. But I think Blanton got sqeezed there–how many times does something that close get called a strike? Maybe 80%
T.M. Brown

Not to be a downer but wow Joe Blanton has been something awful since he came over.

http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

He and Victorino both….no more signing ex phillies

Anonymous

listening on radio; Monday said AGon has a much bigger range at first than Loney
Anonymous

The overly dramatic ESPN promo for this game talked about how the Dodgers and Giants moved West and one chose “Tinseltown” and the other chose “The City.”
Or, in other words, the Dodgers owner picked the bigger, wealthier market and the Giants owner, who pretty much did what Walter O’Malley told him, moved to the other viable California market, but really wanted to play in Minneapolis.

Anonymous

Few Gnatfans appreciate that they owe the very presence of the franchise to the Dodgers. That’s one source of their envy.

Anonymous

Wow: Brandon Belt makes the stupid play! And it works. Tha’ts the way it goes for the Giants and Dodgers this year. Could the giants go all the way to the world championship? Of course but the chances are wildly against it.
http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

If there’s the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, these are the Los Angeles Dodgers of Futility (with RISP).

Anonymous

Unfortunate; but true!
Anonymous

Starting the game, the Dodgers as a team were batting .252 as a team. With RISP, they were batting .253.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Lies, damned lies and statistics. It can’t be more than about .100. I believe my eyes, not your stinkin’ numbers!
Anonymous

Yes, but they are now 1-for-20 with RISP in this series.

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Nice catch shane
Anonymous

It is a telling that the most discussed thing about Victorino since he joined the Dodgers is the color of his batting gloves.

Anonymous

and that cuz he gets on base so rarely, it goes largely unnoticed that he still wears red running gloves.

Anonymous

LOL.

Anonymous

In his last 6-plus games, including tonight, Mark Ellis is 13-for-30.
Anonymous

Ugh. Getting so tiresome.
Anonymous

What a lousy throw!
http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Is there a Sunday Night Football game on? This is depressing.
Anonymous

Come on KT. Need your magic to kick in.
Anonymous

In his seven starts with the Dodgers including tonight, Blanton has allowed 10 earned runs in the first inning. That equates to a first-inning ERA of 12.86.

Anonymous

We should have a reliever pitch the first inning and then Blanton start from the second inning.

Anonymous

Not the worst idea…
Anonymous

Maybe the problem is Dodgers pitchers know they are going to get little to no run support, so they are trying to be too fine. You can bitch and moan about the pitching all you want, but the pitching is not the problem – the complete disappearance of any offensive attack is what has doomed this team to failure. The Dodgers bats are in a word, pathetic.

http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

So Victorino and Blanton will not be invited back..

Anonymous

Victorino should be replaced by Crawford, if the latter is healthy. Blanton may be needed, regrettably, if Billingsley is out for all or most of next season. But I certainly hope that we can find someone else besides Blanton, who is a career journeyman.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

A season which started out so surprisingly well is now sinking into the sea of despond.
Anonymous

Why can Kershaw not pitch in the most important game of the year so far, but pitch 2 days later? That is a pansy move in my opinion to not tough it out.

Anonymous

Donnie’s decision not to pitch Kershaw tonight is hard to understand. I heard that Kershaw had a cortisone shot and said he could go tonight. Once again, this was the biggest game of the year — a two-game swing. A win tonight means we go from extremely critical condition to critical. Unless there is a miraculous rally in the next few innings, we’re back on life support.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Now look. If the docs said “no,” then it’s no. Strasburg doesn’t want to stop pitching in DC either, but they’re not letting him do so for fear of damage to his arm. It’s the same kind of thing with Kershaw. Just be glad he’s not done for the year as far as we know.

Anonymous

Fear does not win Championships.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

No, but not taking care of pitchers’ arms can lead to things like Koufax retiring at age 30.

Anonymous

I want to read all the details tomorrow, particularly who said Kershaw couldn’t/shouldn’t/wouldn’t pitch tonight. I will leave it at that.

Anonymous

I think a loss is fatal as far as the division is concerned. This is the most important game as far as the division is concerned. I don’t know how bad Kershaw is hurt but we are 9 outs away from depending on kid K to help us catch StL.

http://www.linkmeister.com/wordpress/ Linkmeister

Got a medical degree and an ability to diagnose from a distance?

C’mon.

Anonymous

I think it is a point worth considering.

http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

Dodgers are hunting for wins…probably a better chance of going 1-1 with Kershaw going in Arizona, than risk losing this one and definitely losing Blanton in AZ

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Throw strikes

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

there we go

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Come on Dre start it off

Anonymous

To KT: I wish the Dodgers could translate your enthusiasm into actuality.

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

There you go Dre

Come on Juan
Anonymous

The offense is the problem – you can’t expect the Dodgers pitching to throw a shutout every time out – they can’t pitch against their own team.

T.M. Brown

We do have a habit of making very mediocre pitchers appear stellar.

Anonymous

With a team SLG of .371, next to last in the NL with Houston last, we make most pitchers look good.

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Come on AJ let’s scratch
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Good eye AJ

Come on Bobby
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Let’s go Mark
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Come on Shane make him pitch to you
Anonymous

time for Victorino to earn his keep

Anonymous

or not

Anonymous

How many hours ahead of the West Coast is it where you are in Australia?

Anonymous

It is 12.40pm Monday here in Canberra

Anonymous

So you generally follow the Dodgers in the middle of the day while they occupy our evenings.
Anonymous

correct and sometimes really early for your day games:)

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

or as I liked to tell my folks 7 hrs behind but a day ahead

Anonymous

He is paid whether he goes hitless the rest of the year, which is not a total stretch of the imagination.

Anonymous

let’s move to commission based pay (maybe for every hit or every strikeout) !

Anonymous

The bases loaded for Shawn Victorino–what a joke. How fast can we unload this loser!
Anonymous

Yes we have 6 outs remaining but I think we can start to congratulate SF on winning the western division.
http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

A-Gone has had just a really bad season given how good he used to be.

Anonymous

When I was a little kid in Brooklyn, and when my parents were growing up there, the slogan was “Wait Till Next Year.” It may well resonate again this year.

Anonymous

We are really hurting if Cruz is slumping!
T.M. Brown

Everyone knows Kershaw is good but I’m not sure if even he could win a game where we score zero runs. Well, maybe he could.
Anonymous

Who are these guys? It’s hard to root for this team. Looks like years of wandering in the desert of overpriced underachievement are in store, until we can rebuild the farm system that Mr. McCourt neglected, by which point Kemp & Ethier will be nearing retirement. Sigh.
Anonymous

… I say as the first Guggenheim draftee makes his MLB debut.

Anonymous

And he’s good.

Anonymous

NPUT

Anonymous

http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/2012/09/09/50

Anonymous

This is pathetic.
…
Not just the score, but if you watch the game through a ‘ballplayer’s eyes’…. it’s pathetic.
…
Hanley Ramirez: Exactly what Ozzie said….and, the Dodgers are suckers for trading for him.
The most noteworthy thing about his game is his “K-looking” move.
He’s got slow feet, a mediocre arm….and, is not a great SS.
…
Adrian Gonzalez: Overrated. Period.
…
Dee Gordon: I miss watching this guy play.
…
Dodgers: Haven’t deserved this game since the 1st inning. Totally mishandled. Myopic approach.
…
The Giants flat out want it more than the Dodgers.
It’s so easy to see.
…
Go ahead btimm…and, passive-aggressively call me a bad fan.
I’m ‘over it’ as it is not you, or anyone else on this blog who defines what it is to be a ‘good fan’…
(I’m totally not trying to violate rule # 3…and, quite frankly, have enjoyed your postings. Well done)

Anonymous

Seconded. I have no interest in watching a lineup crammed full of middle-of-the-order hitters. The loss of Dee Gordon cannot be overstated.

https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

I’ll be glad when MLB changes the september call up rule next year
https://www.facebook.com/kmt59 KT

Good night/day all