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KT
Go Blue…stay Healthy and looks like October in Georgia
Jack Dawkins
Ryu not looking playoff sharp so far.
foul tip
He often seems to embody the idea that if you are going to get to a pitcher, do it early.
Jack Dawkins
Vin: “Let’s face it, the Dodgers do not look like a team ready to play in October.”
WBBsAs
It’s not October yet…
Jeffrey Thomas III
So far not the confidence building post season primer Ryu was hoping for I’d imagine.
KT
Now DP time
Jeffrey Thomas III
Nice recovery, though he did run up that pitch count pretty high.
KT
doesn’t want to stay out in the heat long today
Bob_Hendley
Probably on a lower pitch count than normal in any event
KT
Way to get out of the inning without being hurt badly
scooplew
The Dodgers’ three seasons of 2013:
30-42 from April 1 through June 21
42-8 from June 22 through Aug. 17
20-19 from Aug. 18 through yesterday
WinnipegDave
And hopefully season 4 will be something like this:
11-5 from Oct 3 through Oct 27
rumped6
Scoop: Was wrong about the entire NL West back in spring (recovered with being almost
uncanny about the rest of the league’s teams, strangely), so I have no credibility at all this year with the D’s, but I’m guessin’ their post-season level of play will be more like that last third than either of the first two.
Lotsa likeable guys on this team, but somehow, for me, the collection is not, not the least aspect of which is the gaudy-from-ill-gotten-Balzac-gains that is the payroll.
So no tears here if, as Gram usedta say, they flounder….
And the fact that Alvarez in Miami needed a flukey run to authenticate his no-no is as sad and irrational as the prohibition voiced in rule number 9, an unworthy and self-absorbed entrant in an otherwise exemplary list:-).
He did an admirable nine (with much help from a way-flawed ump at home). It was a genuine no-hit game, at the prescription distance. Recalled for a few moments (did the Tiger guy throw that wild one by mistake?) the Harvey Haddix magic show for twelve against the Braves.
I actually saw that one on the old Dumont.
Jack Dawkins
Maybe some of the Stay Puf vibes stuck with him.
WinnipegDave
Tampa Bay hangs on to beat Toronto 7-6 – after having a 7-0 lead.
ASW1
And Angels up 2-1 on Texas, trying to be the spoilers.
Jack Dawkins
If Texas hangs on they will have a playoff to face cleveland then I think.
ASW1
My bad, I read that score backwards
Jack Dawkins
I was watching some highlights of the game yesteday, and they both had red Jerseys on. Was confusing to watch.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Vin: “Maybe he’s practicing getting out of jams.” LOL.
Jack Dawkins
Vin: “Maybe he is practicing gettign out of jams.”
Jeffrey Thomas III
Jinx!
Jack Dawkins
It was a great line.
KT
I was thinking the same thing
ASW1
It’s too bad Kemp couldn’t get more practice at the plate the last two games.
KT
ATL Bound
John_from_Aus
Just tuned in, it appears lucky were are not behind by much more
John_from_Aus
What’s the latest on Kemp, Ramirez and even Eithier?
KT
kemp precautionary, Hanley just resting, Ethier in AZ
John_from_Aus
as the song goes, ‘2 out of 3 aint bad’
KT
AJ!!
ASW1
Angels tied up Rangers : 2-2 bottom 6 now
ASW1
Tayhas takes the lead, 3-2 after 6.
John_from_Aus
Can we escape a third time with minimal damage?
WinnipegDave
That helps – runner from 3rd caught in a rundown.
ASW1
Dodgers not the only team with injuries :
Beltre limped home with the tiebreaking run for Rangers – now he’s out limping around 3rd base on D.
WinnipegDave
Strange to think the Dodgers could theoretically play the Rangers in the World Series. Although, I certainly would not be putting money down on that particular pairing.
Linkmeister
I’ve always felt the Rangers and the Dodgers’ uniforms were as similar as peas in a pod (or used to be for quite a while). That would be a series where you really would have to look at home whites and visiting grays.
ASW1
Not anymore – Rangers Red now
WinnipegDave
Now it maybe that the Royals would have the most similar uni’s as the Dodgers.
Linkmeister
I’d love to see a Royals – Dodgers series. I’m a sentimentalist; I’m glad the Pirates have been so successful this year, and I’m glad the Royals have had their best year since 1989.
WinnipegDave
Agreed. My friend won tickets to last year’s All Star game in KC and I was quite jealous. I have had a bit of a thing for the Royals since the days of George Brett.
Bumsrap
Where would your sentimentalist feelings land for the Network that had to air a Pirates / Royals World Series?
Linkmeister
Heh. Since they persist in showing us a dozen Boston – NYY matchups each season no matter how unimportant the games are I’d be gleeful about it. I might even bake up a Schadenfreude Pie.
rumped6
Me, too…
John_from_Aus
I can’t believe we are still in this game!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Ryu’s ERA at 3.00 currently.
John_from_Aus
One part of me thinks this is not great form to take into the playoffs, but the other part thinks better to get these sort of games out of the way now
ASW1
These last games are a far cry from the lineup the Dodgers will be fielding in the playoffs.
ASW1
Not even watching, really – the Angels/Rangers game is much more interesting today.
scooplew
I hope you are right about the line-up, but with all these recurring injuries, I am wondering exactly what lineup will we field come Thursday.
ASW1
I would have to think that “precautionary” means that Kemp would be playing if it were a playoff game – and you know Hanley is playing, and Puig as well – so right there, lineup way different than last 2 games come Thursday
KT
Dodgers PR @DodgersPR1m
This afternoon’s crowd will raise the #Dodgers’ cumulative home/road attendance to 6.6+ million — highest combined total in @MLB since 2008
Jeffrey Thomas III
Nolasco? Interesting. Well that locks in the 3 ERA for Ryu.
WinnipegDave
Nolasco in to pitch. Still evaluating who will be the third starter perhaps.
Jeffrey Thomas III
More like 4th I’d imagine.
WinnipegDave
You think the Dodgers have slotted Ryu in the number 3 spot already? Probably, but perhaps still tinkering a bit with the rotation.
Jeffrey Thomas III
I do think so. But who knows. There was even chatter on twitter earlier about considering Volquez for the 4th.
Linkmeister
Pfui. Twitter is a repository for all manner of foolish talk. It’s amusing, I admit, but I hesitate to put much stock in what people say there.
ASW1
I wonder how Twitterboy feels about that statement?
WinnipegDave
Volquez – oh goodness. That would be really hoping to catch some sort of lightning in some sort of bottle.
ASW1
I would guess Ryu #3, Nolasco #4. But, that’s just my feeling.
WinnipegDave
Nice DP.
John_from_Aus
time for bats to awaken
ASW1
Boy, what a season for the Angels – they are even failing in the spoiler role.
WBBsAs
Vin sounds a bit alarmist about the Dodger offense.
Linkmeister
With some cause.
WBBsAs
Not because of the lineup the last two days, though, when nothing really counted.
KT
Juanito!
Jeffrey Thomas III
Culbertson sure is an adventure out there.
WBBsAs
He learned his trade as a Gnatfarmhand.
WinnipegDave
Too early to talk postseason hopes and dreams? Here are my rooting interests (some of it will be very obvious):
AL
Cleveland wins the wildcard game vs TB or Texas.
Detroit beats Oakland in ALDS.
Cleveland beats Boston in ALDS.
Cleveland beats Detroit in ALCS.
NL
Pittsburgh wins the wildcard against Cincinnati
LA beats Atlanta in NLDS
Pittsburgh beats St. Louis in NLDS
LA beats Pittsburgh in NLCS
World Series
LA beats Cleveland
ASW1
I like this scenario, but also would not mind seeing an all-California WS : Dodgers beating the A’s again, just like in ’88.
WBBsAs
Also, I could go to three games at the Mausoleum.
Linkmeister
That would be a rematch of the 1920 WS. Bill Wambsganss (or something close to that) had an unassisted triple play in that Series. The Indians won 5 games to 2 (It was a nine-game series, like the early ones and also like the ones in 1919 and 1921 — I thought the Series had been standardized on seven games ten years earlier. Learn something every day).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1920_World_Series
Spence
Why is Nolasco pitching? He just threw 95 pitches on Wednesday.
KT
bullpen session before the playoffs
WBBsAs
Schu, like Ethier, can’t hit lefties.
KT
Nice Skippy!
John_from_Aus
interesting choice to PH
John_from_Aus
no surprise there
scooplew
I wonder why Donnie pulled back Fedex.
foul tip
Since this is mostly a what-the-heck game, if I were DM I’d have considered PHing Greinke, especially with sacks full and since it’s only 5th inning, and saved other rumored hitters for later.
WinnipegDave
That one was much tougher play than the one Shoe missed earlier from Francis.
ASW1
Pat Haden fired Lane Kiffin – guess 150% doesn’t count for as much as it used to…
scooplew
Haden has now fired USC’s football, basketball and baseball coaches.
Linkmeister
And if these reports are accurate, Kiffiin’s firing was pretty messy.
Spence
Lane Kiffin is a terrible. Haden had no choice.
rumped6
That was also my first thought:-).
150 is the new Kiss of Death.
Spence
The Braves have not won a post season series (of any kind) since 1995. They are 0-12 in post season since 1995.
Spence
Actually thats wrong. They got to the NLCS in 2001. They are 0-6 since then.
ASW1
Well, here’s to 0 fer 7!
scooplew
WinnipegDave: Regarding your wish to see an Indians-Dodgers World Series, you probably know that Cleveland and Brooklyn faced each other in the 1920 World Series. Cleveland won it, five games to two. It was a best-of-nine series then. Brooklyn was then called the Robins, in honor of their extremely popular manager Wilbert Robinson. From the SABR website, here is what John Kiernan of the New York Times once wrote about Robinson: “It is doubtful that baseball ever produced a more colorful figure than the esteemed Wilbert Robinson. Like Falstaff, he was not only witty himself but the cause of wit in others. His conversation was a continuous flow of homely philosophy, baseball lore, and good humor. He knew baseball as the spotted setter knows the secrets of quail hunting, by instinct and experience.”
Linkmeister
Far be it from me to suggest Don and Ned and Stan don’t care about these games, but it would be nice to see a little stronger effort put forth on management’s part. I mean, putting Castellanos in to pinch hit with the bases loaded? He of the 16 ABs worth of experience this season?
DS1981
BTW, speaking of the Braves, i dread the dodgers playing them and it’s not because they’re a good team that will have home field, that’s irrelevant. I think after all those playoffs where they were just plain unlucky, their luck in the playoffs is bound to turn at some point. Maybe this year is that point.
Linkmeister
The Dodgers have had equally bad luck in the last 25 in their few appearances in the playoffs. Can you say “Matt Stairs?” I knew you could.
WBBsAs
In principle, I think Kershaw and Greinke are far superior to the Barves’ starters, but their hitters only need to get lucky on one swing.
Branch_Rickey
Sounds like Kemp is out for the postseason.
scooplew
Tell us more.
Jeffrey Thomas III
The ghost of Branch Rickey has returned from the dead to predict the future!
Branch_Rickey
Sorry for the bad news and the vague news. I could be wrong but I don’t think so.
ASW1
Just how do you get from “precautionary” to “out for the postseason”?
ASW1
Surely you jest.
rumped6
I was one of the few who thought that contract was a fragile
bit of work….to say nothing of the corpse it fell upon.
The Dodger training staff continues to look bad, even if it isn’t.
RBI
Standing O for Helton. Classy.
ASW1
A walk-off would be a nice way to end the season and go into the postseason on a high note
ASW1
Playoffs start tomorrow for Rays and Rangers – 5pm Pacific time on TBS,
John_from_Aus
Should have put in a pitcher to bunt properly
ASW1
Regarding Kemp :
“I’m never certain with stuff like this,” Mattingly said. “I feel good about it. I don’t know why he wouldn’t be ready. He didn’t hurt it. It’s not like he went out there and turned it and felt like he couldn’t run. He had some soreness and we pulled him out. It will be five days before he has to play again. I don’t know why he wouldn’t be ready.”
John_from_Aus
surely we can
KT
they got us right where they want us
RBI
Yup.
ASW1
Right down the middle and FedEx swings like Dodgers needed a grand slam.
scooplew
Sometime in the future, I would like it if we had a back-up catcher who could do more than catch.
ASW1
Ugly
Jeffrey Thomas III
I hope there’s no reason to see Skip bat in the playoffs.
scooplew
With all our injuries, I expect we are likely to see him hit quite a bit.
Jon Weisman
NPUT
scooplew
Well, the Dodgers are their fans have until Thursday to put these last two games, and four of the last five, out of their systems.