Masters of the long ball

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Cardinals at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Mark Ellis, 2B
Andre Ethier, RF
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Shane Victorino, LF
Luis Cruz, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Josh Beckett, P

The list of Dodger home run leaders of 2012 is kind of fascinating. Let’s just say that getting in the top 10 is not a major feat:

18 Matt Kemp
17 Andre Ethier
11 A.J. Ellis
10 Hanley Ramirez
7 Juan Rivera
5 Mark Ellis
4 Jerry Hairston Jr.
4 James Loney
4 Luis Cruz
2 Bobby Abreu, Adam Kennedy, Matt Treanor, Juan Uribe, Scott Van Slyke

Bubbling underneath are Adrian Gonzalez, Dee Gordon, Elian Herrera, Justin Sellers and Shane Victorino with one apiece.

  • Anonymous

    Usually StL coming onto town was a mid summer treat not a late season series. I think it used to be that way. But then again we opened up in Pittsburgh a few seasons ago.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Hitchcock/1676059435 Jim Hitchcock

       Yeah, 2009? Got beat up by Garrett Jones?

  • Anonymous

    The Nats rookie, Bryce Harper, is a native Las Vegan and there is a box score highlighting his achievements each game in our local paper.  I noticed today he has 18 HRs — the same # as Matt.  Kemp was out with the injury, but Harper didn’t come up right away.  (Matt has 56 RBIs, Bryce 49)

    Playing “what might have been” is fruitless, but Matt WAS on fire before he got hurt!

  • Anonymous

    Since there are five teams in the division, somebody has to play someone out of the division at all times. Unless you want to see some exhibitions games between the Dodgers and the Isotopes.

    Charlie Steiner and Rick Monday are baffled, BAFFLED, every year when the Dodgers play teams outside the West in the month of September. 
    It’s a seasonal complaint and most likely a byproduct of their joint psychosis.

    • Anonymous

      Well, playing a few games in Albuquerque could increase our HR totals.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jim-Hitchcock/1676059435 Jim Hitchcock

    Meant to mention it before, but the National Anthem as sung by the Zimmerman sisters last Friday at ATT was a thing of sheer wonder.

  • Anonymous

    The last time the Dodgers had an out of division game to end the regular season was 1999 when they were in Houston. That season ended with the infamous Robinson Checo game, when Davey Johnson opted not to start Kevin Brown on short rest in a game that determined the NL Central title. Robinson Checo was given the start and he was rocked. 
    Checo faced seven batters, walked five of them, and gave up a bases loaded double to Daryle Ward.

    This season, Milwaukee is at San Diego and Atlanta will be at Pittsburgh to end the season. Minnesota at Toronto is the odd series in the AL.

  • Anonymous

    Is it too early to consider Victorino a double agent? ( ya know, like Uribe)

    • Anonymous

       No, actually it’s too late, I was on to him from the start.

  • Anonymous

    A rumble heard in the distance…. Phillies 4, Astros 0 — 4th inning.

    Josh Lindblom wants a ring!

    • Anonymous

      And the Astros have cut the lead to 4-3. Starting pitcher tonight for the Phillies: Tyler Cloyd.

      • Anonymous

        And now the Phillies have brought in B.J. Rosenberg.

  • Anonymous

    Old Friend Josh Lindblom in for the Phillies now.

  • Anonymous

    Pitch FX weirdness
    Pitch 1 to Matt Holliday 2-seam fastball 90 MPH
    Pitch 2 to Matt Holliday Changeup 91 MPH

  • Anonymous

    Nice to have a quiet first.

  • Anonymous

    Big fella on the mound for the Cards.

    • Anonymous

      Unlike teeny tiny Josh Beckett.

  • Anonymous

    I’m following a live chat on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch website about the game.
    I am convinced that no one will win this game.

  • Anonymous

    Instead of second wild card, should it be really wild card, or perhaps WBB’s suggestion of mild card.

  • Jibin Park

    This lineup makes more sense, but how about we switch Ellises?

  • Jibin Park

    Or add AJ Ellis to the top and keep everything else the same?

  • Anonymous

    There ya go!

  • Anonymous

    Wow–this new guy Adrian actually brings in a run!! Novel!

    • Anonymous

      3 RBI in two days. Which is the sum total the Dodgers have scored in two days.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=713935344 Jason Ungar

    Is it me or are we looking at a lot more called 3rd strikes than in other years? 

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

       I dunno about other YEARS, but lately, anyway. At least it seems like it. Particularly Ramirez.

    • Anonymous

      The Dodgers are on a pace to strike out more this year than last year. So it would follow that they are taking more third strikes than last year.

  • Anonymous

    vin buttering up the MLB brass…

  • Anonymous

    I can’t even see a second division team playing H. Ramirez at SS! Is he adequate at 3rd base? I doubt it but I value defense more than many I know>
    Where can he be played? I understand he may be able to hit.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=713935344 Jason Ungar

    two terrible defense plays and a hit of course. we would have hit into a triple play

    • Anonymous

      I maintain my belief that no one will win this game.

      • Anonymous

         Too much “football” for you.

    • Anonymous

      Hard for me to understand how the ball to Hanley wasn’t ruled an error.  Maybe it was that last second “lunge” that sold it to the official scorer.

  • Anonymous

    I like this lineup.

    678 is the near equivalent to a 2nd string top of the order..

    • Anonymous

      I should clarify – I have no faith that it will work, regardless.

      Tempted to agree with btimmer – the odds are not with us scoring again, and the Cards have been trying to give it to us for almost a week now.

      • Anonymous

        Cardinals fans consider Lance Lynn to be their Joe Blanton.

  • Anonymous

    I wouldn’t disagree with that… on the other hand we didn’t trot Nolan Ryan out to the mound tonight either.

    • Anonymous

      Both teams come in with struggling offenses, shaky starting pitching, and on losing streaks. Someone will go home unhappy. That will be the winning team. The losing team will be ticked off beyond belief.

      • Anonymous

        Ha!  Very well put.

  • Anonymous

    So Josh Beckett is not a fast man.

    • Anonymous

      Yeah, for a guy his size.

  • Anonymous

    Looks like we have met our match, futility-wise, with this team.  I am beginning to agree with btimmer as regards the outcome.

    • Anonymous

      Honestly, this looks like it has the potential to set records..

  • Anonymous

    Is there a giveaway today or is it a good crowd simply because it’s a big series?

    • Anonymous

      Fleece blanket night! And it hit 100 in parts of Southern California today.

      • Anonymous

        Thanks Bob! I knew something had to be going on besides the Cool-a-Coos.

    • Jibin Park

       Silly question.  If it’s a big crowd, it’s either Opening Day or Bobblehead Giveaway.  If you see a lot of pre-teen females, it’s a Hello Kitty SGA :)

  • T.M. Brown
  • Anonymous

    At least the Phillies lost. Let’s hope that will put a damper on any chance of them coming back into the race.

  • Anonymous

    Another good start by Beckett. No support, again.

    • Anonymous

      It was decent, but I have not been overly impressed by Beckett. He doesn’t have much velocity and all his pitches are around the same speed, so he’s not fooling a lot of people.

      • Anonymous

        I didn’t say it was great – just good – so far he’s been better than advertised for the Dodgers – I’ll give him a grade of *good* – not great – but if he had just DECENT run support in the games he started, he’d have a couple more W’s to show for his efforts.

  • Anonymous

    Shouldn’t Hanley have thrown out Molina at first on that ball that hit Craig?  Or is there some rule that automatically awards first to the batter?  If not, he totally checked out of that play for a full 3 seconds.  He plays short with a pronounced lack of urgency.

    • Anonymous

      The ball is dead once it hits the runner. 

      • Anonymous

        That’s a small relief. Although I stand by my last sentence.

  • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

    How many styles of facial hair will Gonzalez try to break the Dodgers out of this slump?

  • Anonymous

    My waning interest this past week as a result of the Dodgers’ recent play leaves me wondering this evening…who is Paco Rodriguez?

    • Anonymous

      2nd round draft pick this year.

      • Jibin Park

         I like Paco, but it seems like he won’t “deceive” any lefties given that he seems to be showing the ball on the delivery. Still, looks like a solid pitcher.  Better than stuff than Elbert it seems.

  • Anonymous

    Wow!  That was a quick trip.  Good for him.

  • Anonymous

    Didn’t know they can brew the coffee that fast.

  • Jibin Park

    Wow. Seeing-eyed single.

  • Anonymous

    I thought the Dodgers were snakebit, but now it appears to be Birdbit.

    • Anonymous

      After this series they will be filibustered in DC. Then red baited in Cincinnati. I can’t think of a metaphor for San Diego right now.

      • Jibin Park

         San Diego’s Daddy?

      • Anonymous

        I don’t think we want to explore metaphors for the Padres…

  • Jibin Park

    Is it just me or does every Dodger game seem like Groundhog Day?

    • Jibin Park

       And as I write that, Cruz reaches on the error.  And Dee pinch-runs.  If he doesn’t steal, we will see 6 more weeks of winter!

    • Anonymous
      • Jibin Park

         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZbtAFq7dP8

  • Anonymous

    That was too bad! Anyroad, although the Cards got a run, I thought that play showed Ethiers good D. as well as accurate,strong arm.

    • Anonymous

      May have been safe. Doesn’t matter, the throw was that impressive.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t like pulling Cruz there.  If this goes extra innings, by some miracle, I’d want his bat in the order still.

  • Anonymous

    That throw was insane.  Nonetheless, if the Dodgers win this game, Dee Gordon will be involved.

    • Anonymous

      Gordon is out of the game.

    • Anonymous

      Oooookay, scratch that.  Apparently a light-hitting guy with no speed at third is preferable to a light-hitting but speedy SS, in a game in which we have to manufacture runs.  That, or Hanley’s D at short is too valuable.

      • Jibin Park

         Those bounce throws from SS to 1B are much too valuable to move to 3B.  Hope I’m not violating Rule #7.

  • Anonymous

    Complete frustration right now.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=713935344 Jason Ungar

    Maybe next year we can play 162 games worth of good baseball. These last two seasons have been tales of two halves.

  • Jibin Park

    Kemp clearly made sure to know where the wall was this time around….

  • Jibin Park

    Am I in the minority that would prefer Gordon at SS and Hanley at 3B than Punto at 3D and Hanley at SS at this point in the game?

    • Anonymous

      Deck chairs. Titanic.

      • Jibin Park

         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4LyoUGxVd8

    • Anonymous

      I’m certainly with you.

  • Anonymous

    Thursday Notes:
    ….
    1.  Great play by Matty Kemp out there in RCF….
    2.  If the Dodgers end up winning this game, it will be….. because the Cards gave it to them.
    Yes…
    Last inning the Cards should have sacrificed the runner over to 3B.
    A runner on 3B with 1 out… playing the percentages vs. runner on 2B ….
    Much, much higher to score a run with the runner on 3B….
    I do not say this merely because of the fact that the fly ball would have scored the runner…
    I say this because in a game where nobody is  hitting and runs are at  a premium…..
    A 2-run lead is much safer than a 1-run lead…
    So, why not play the percentages? 
    Just like poker players….they play the percentages…..
    Very poorly done by the Cards….
    Leaving the door open for the Dodgers…. A gift, if you will.

  • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

    Freese has grounded into 17 double plays? That makes him a Dodger for sure next season!

  • Jibin Park

    League has been the Dodgers MVP for the past two weeks or so.

  • Anonymous

    What’s worse? To leave 11 on base, or never get on base to begin with?

  • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

    I’m sure I’ll feel optimistic when I see Kemp, Gonzalez, Rameriez (sorry for the bad spelling there, Hanley) next season. Yeah, next season. 

  • Jibin Park

    I’m depressed.  Maybe this “Oregon Duck” Gangnam Style post will cheer you up as it will do for me….
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDpgzn7KuzE

  • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

    If there was a baseball team in Oregon I imagine Mott would be the face of the Media Guide.

  • Anonymous

    If Victorino reaches, then it’s Nick Punto time!

    • Jibin Park

       We will either be the Victors or Punt this game away!

      • Jibin Park

         Seriously, we gotta have a PH on deck, no?

    • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

      I’m not the only here that threw up in his/her mouth when I saw Punto on deck, right?

      • Anonymous

        Rule 13!

        • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

          Is that the “It doesn’t matter anyway”rule?

      • Anonymous

        I was dreading that, because I know Don woulda let him hit.

  • Anonymous

    Dodgers gave up two runs – blame it on the pitching.

  • Anonymous

    These boys don’t want it.

  • Anonymous

    Victory? No!

  • Anonymous

    On a side note, I’ve seen a lot of homeless men that look like Jason Motte.

  • Anonymous

    Disgusting, this team has become an embarrassment to LA sports

  • http://farinella.com/ David Farinella

    To quote the Vin: “That is blinkin’ fertilizer.”

  • http://twitter.com/plaza234 plaza23

    Remember when Matt Kemp was great?

    Me either.

    • Anonymous

      You mean Rally Killer Kemp?
      Yeah, would be nice if he could stop getting injured – sure, injuries are part of the game and all that, but he’s a shadow of the player that started the season.

  • Anonymous

    Victorino didn’t decipher the Phillie’s morse code in time: that the Dodgers had to win this game so the Philles wouldn’t fall 4 back.

  • Anonymous

    The home run leader board stays the same for one more day :(

  • Anonymous

    I don’t even feel like making a joke about them..  Sad.

  • Anonymous

    The race will soon be not for the Wild Card but for 2nd place in the West.

    • Anonymous

      If they finish above .500 it would be a miracle

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    Not sorry I missed this one but I do have a suggestion. 

    here’s what you do. The team gets Dennis Haysbert to come in and play Pedro Cerrano from “Major League”.

    He comes in and does a voodoo ritual, in character, in front of a locker. Get all the players to bring their bats to him and he will say a prayer to Jobu for their zombie bats to reanimate them from the dead.

    That may all be a bunch of mumbo jumbo, but at best, maybe the players believe in it and who knows; at worst, at least the no doubt sour mood is improved in the locker room.

  • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

    I am honestly not saying this completely to advocate his dismissal but do people think the Dodgers still plan on extending Colletti before the season’s over at this point? Again, I was in favor of many of these moves and they just haven’t panned out so don’t totally want to scapegoat him but think it might behoove ownership to hold off on that extension. 

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

       It’s not Colletti’s fault the entire team has gone into a hitting slump for the entire month of September.

      • http://underdog.typepad.com/ underdog

        Oh I agree. Again, like I said, I was in favor of almost all the moves he made (I mean the Hanley trade especially was a no brainer), and I still think whatever happens the end of this season, they will still be in good shape going in to 2013, having filled a couple of holes at least (if not 3 if you count Crawford).  And the pitching has generally been very good lately. That said, he’s made *other* poor moves (Uribe), some that didn’t pan out, and they’d have 2 straight years of missing the playoffs if this current trend continues.  

        So not saying he should be scapegoated but do they want to extend him if this season is a washout again? I guess they could extend him for a couple of years, and still fire him next year (eat the rest of his contract) if they fare poorly. Nothing’s set in stone. Just curious.

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

           I dunno. I think the days of the one-year contract like the Dodgers gave Alston year after year after year are over. So I expect they’d extend at least two more years if they’re going to extend at all. And who knows? Ned having enough money to spend might mean he wouldn’t go after the Uribes and other aging PVL types, since he could pay for better options.

      • Anonymous

        He made perhaps too many changes too late in the season.  Basically, Colletti took his date(s) to a dance, danced most of the night with them, and then left with someone else’s date.

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

    Last year it was the Red Sox and the Braves who had the drastic meltdowns the final month of the season. This year it looks to be our turn. What started off so well sure dissipated.

  • Anonymous

    I was at the game tonight. Another disappointment. Then I saw an article that Jeter has just tied Willy Mays on the all time hit list at 11th, which surprised me because it seems like he just got to 3000 recently (I guess that was a while ago though….time flies). Then I found this list http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/hihits1.shtml (I know it’s not the best baseball reference site) and just scrolled down looking at active players (in bold) and thinking how many could get to 3000 in their careers. only players I think have a legitimate shot who are already up there (+1500) are A-Rod, Pujols and Miguel Cabrera. I was also surprise to see Mark Kotsay with 1749 hits (currently tied with Kent Hrbek). That’s all for now. Let’s go Dodgers!

  • Anonymous

    These fellas are making me long for ball alright.

  • http://www.dodgerthoughts.com/ Jon Weisman

    NPUT