Dodgers at Padres, 7:05 p.m.
Dee Gordon, SS
Mark Ellis, 2B
Bobby Abreu, LF
Andre Ethier, RF
Adam Kennedy, 3B
James Loney, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Tony Gwynn Jr., CF
Aaron Harang, P
Dee Gordon, SS
Mark Ellis, 2B
Bobby Abreu, LF
Andre Ethier, RF
Adam Kennedy, 3B
James Loney, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Tony Gwynn Jr., CF
Aaron Harang, P
Tonight’s Dodger lineup, which features Adam Kennedy batting fifth, is not the first to have a player in an unexpected spot. Just last year, in honor of Aaron Miles, I did pieces at Dodger Thoughts on the most obscure but memorable No. 3 hitters and No. 5 hitters.
This time around, I thought I’d just go straight back to highlight the lineups of the 2005 Dodgers, who ended their season (and Jim Tracy’s tenure) with Mike Edwards batting cleanup.
I’m taking an extreme risk here, because the last thing I want to do is reignite mercifully dormant debates about guys like J.D. Drew, Hee Seop Choi and Milton Bradley. In any case, things didn’t really get weird for the ’05 Dodgers until later in the season.
Anonymous
Did you know that J.D. Drew retired after the 2011 season? I just noticed that.
Anonymous
Really? I thought he was probably injured.
Anonymous
no kidding, wow. he once fractured his arm & stayed in the game for the Dodgers, if i remember correctly… he was part of the 4+1 right?
Anonymous
I’m sure Mattingly has a reason, but I just don’t see it.
Anonymous
This is utterly bewildering.
Anonymous
Kennedy fifth? I feel like a Japanese soldier trying to break Navajo code talk.
Anonymous
Perhaps to enable Arte to finish the housecleaning down south we could interest him in a trade of managers. Things are getting bizarre.
Anonymous
When the Halos finish last and Mike gets fired I would make the switch
scottF
New owners like to Tinker then make changes. Wait till the dust settles.
Anonymous
I know that in the long run batting orders don’t matter that
much, but I really have a problem with the lineup tonight. Why make it easy for
the Friars to bring in a LOOGY to face Abreu, Ethier, Kennedy (not that it
matters) and Loney? Also, if Gwynn was fast enough to bat leadoff last night,
why isn’t he there tonight? Why not:
Gwynn
Ellis, M.
Ethier
Ellis, A.J.
Abreu
Loney
Kennedy
Gordon
Pitcher
Anonymous
Yes, yes, and yes to the above lineup.
Maybe Mattingly is batting Kennedy fifth so he’ll see plenty of good pitches. You know that opposing managers aren’t going to pitch around him to get to Loney.
Anonymous
>> Why make it easy for the Friars to bring in a LOOGY to face Abreu, Ethier, Kennedy (not that it matters) and Loney?
.
Good point. Except that in those circumstances, the lefty pitcher would not be a LOOGY. :)
Anonymous
On second thought, why is Kennedy even in the lineup? It doesn’t matter if it’s a LH or RH, he’s not going to get a hit anyhow, and Sellers is a much better fielder.
Anonymous
I don’t recall a Kennedy ab where he even hit the ball hard myself.
Anonymous
Actually, he did pull a double down the right field line a couple days ago.
Anonymous
Doh. I missed it. So we can look for him to hit the ball hard 3 more times this year.
Anonymous
Was Eugenio Velez not available?
(And yes, I know he’s not in the Dodger organization anymore.)
Anonymous
Mike Edwards would still be a better option than Kennedy right now. So would La. Gov. Edwin Edwards.
foul tip
Or, disgraced former presidential candidate John Edwards?
If, of course, he can stay out of jail. Understand he has enough money that he wouldn’t need a signing bonus, and he had a reputation as a strong closer earlier in his career.
Oops, different venue…..different career. Still….he’s pretty slick fielding things aimed his way.
[snarky remark intended to avoid violating #5 while still hoping to be funny]
Anonymous
Or Blake Edwards. He’d appreciate the Mother’s Day bats.
Anonymous
Nah, he’s an SOB.
Anonymous
Perhaps El Mercurio publisher Agustín Edwards Eastman or someone else from the family (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwards_family)
Christopher Staaf
I would so take Mike Edwards over Kennedy right now. Kennedy must have some serious dirt on Donnie and Colletti to even be on the roster. Are you telling me Herrera was called up from ABQ just to ride the bench??
Andrew Faris
Dear Mr. Mattingly,
Andre Ethier is the best all around hitter in tonight’s lineup, and especially the most powerful one. The way to win baseball games is by scoring more runs than your opponent. You score runs in baseball when a hitter gets a hit that leaves the ballpark, or more regularly, when he gets a hit while his teammates are already on base. Therefore, if you want to score runs, you should put players who get in base in a lineup in front of players who have the ability to drive such players in. The player who gets on base most often in this lineup is A. J. Ellis.
Here is a way to minimize that skill of his: put him in front of guys who get out a ton.
Here is a way to maximize that skill: put him in front of guys who are your best hitters.
Let me make this simple for you: you are always hopeful when your best hitters come up. You are even more hopeful when they come up with people on base. Therefore, maximize the number of times they come up with people on base by putting people who get on base a lot in front of them in the lineup.
Let me make this even simpler for you: put A. J. Ellis IN FRONT of Andre Ethier.
You’re welcome.
Andrew
Anonymous
Maybe we can have the 2 Ellis’ bat and then Abreu and Ethier and just forfeit the rest of the outs so no one gets hurt.
Anonymous
Sometimes I wonder which type of small animal Mattingly is sacrificing to have entrails suggesting such odd lineups. Maybe he should just try rolling dice?
Jon Weisman
Bottom of the ninth in Denver. Colorado trails, 9-7. Bases loaded. None out. But they’re out of bench players, so Alex White is pinch-hitting.
Jon Weisman
Strikeout, followed by Ramon Hernandez DP.
Anonymous
Probably brilliant managerial strategy of Jim Tracy in action there.
Anonymous
Run out of bench players in 9 innings?
foul tip
Last post Jon noted the White Sox cut Stults loose. Any idea why? He pitched well for them, SSS warning, of course. Two ER in 6 innings.
Anonymous
Looked to me like he was the 26th man on a 25 man roster. Since he was out of options, he had to pass through waivers and SD saw the same thing you did.
Anonymous
I always got Mike Edwards and Mike Kinkade mixed up. When did Kinkade play?
Anonymous
2002-03. He got by pitches 24 times while with the Dodgers. In just 251 PAs.
Anonymous
That must be some sort of frequency record.
Anonymous
Mattingly also refuses to put Ethier in the third spot.
Anonymous
To be fair, we all got angry at him for putting Andre in the 3rd spot last year, and I actually like Abreu in that spot more than in the cleanup spot.
Anonymous
The 3 and 4 spots are not the problem. It’s the leadoff and 5-8 spots that are all shook up.
Anonymous
Through four innings of an extremely interesting game in DC, old friend James McDonald has struck out nine of 12 batters.
Anonymous
After a walk to Bryce Harper, the game is now merely interesting.
Anonymous
No longer interesting, except perhaps for the fact that Jesus Flores failed to score from second base on a double.
Anonymous
Hoping for a good start from Harang.
KT
Good eye Dee..Now make it a double
Anonymous
the only thing I can think of is that Mattingly is trying to get Kennedy’s confindence back?
KT
Nice Triple Bobby
KT
Oxygen to 3rd base stat
Anonymous
Gordon looked like Mickey Hatcher staggering to the plate there.
KT
Nice Dre…Now that we have a 2-0 lead let’s not stop like yesterday
Anonymous
Just imagine how Loney feels about the whole thing.
KT
0-2 to 3-2 two batters in a row…Come on Aaron
Nice tracking Tony
Anonymous
Vin said twenty pitches to get them one-two-three.
KT
Good inning Aaron…no hits/runs always good
foul tip
For anyone looking for something to do between innings, feature on Ethier/Dodgers.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/ben_reiter/05/17/andre.ethier.dodgers/index.html?eref=sihp&sct=hp_wr_a1
KT
Thanks FT…just finished the last article…good timing
KT
Good Eye AJ
KT
Good hit Tony
Come on Aaron move them over
KT
Come on Dee…bring them in
KT
Good Sac Dee
KT
bad base running by Tony
Anonymous
Airhead baserunning by Gwynn.
Anonymous
bad pickle too, Vinnie always talks about a good pickle only takes one throw (2 throws max) i counted 4 throws from the Padres.
Anonymous
Big guy just reached up and plucked that one.
Anonymous
Aaron’s gotta love PETCO.
Anonymous
You know I don’t get all the hate that’s being thrown toward Mattingly?! It’s his and his coaches decisions on lineups…so what he put Kennedy in and up in the 5th slot. If they win, there will be no hate toward him and when everyone comes back from the DL, no one will mention the lineup because it will be back to normal. I think it’s time to give Mattingly a break with lineups, he’s earned the job, lets support him.
Go Dodgers!
Anonymous
There’s no hate. There’s bewilderment that a borderline minus ballplayer like Kennedy is on the roster at all, let alone batting fifth.
KT
^_^ He’s soo tough they walk him
Anonymous
Harang must have a sneaky fastball.
KT
Good Hit AJ
KT
terrible at bat by Harang
Anonymous
Strange Tony going on that.
Anonymous
Even stranger that Gordon got called out.
Anonymous
i don’t think Harang practiced his bunting in ST judging from that AB.
Anonymous
i hope that was a hit & run because i don’t think little Dee should have swang at that.
Anonymous
That didn’t seem like a very good call on Dee.
Anonymous
Pretty weird call.
Anonymous
Abreu is halfway to the cycle!
KT
Nice Bobby…Half way there
KT
Maybin should have caught that ball
Anonymous
That looked real real tough to me sailing over his head.
KT
looked to me like he tried to make it look easy and blew it…you know sportcenter highlight
My Dad down from LA agreed with my analogy
Anonymous
Could you look at it again?
KT
He slowed a step or two before he should have…Padre Announcers agree with the error call
Anonymous
Maybe cuz it sailed on him? Is misjudging a ball considered to be an error, if you get your glove on it? Anyway, MLB.tv is not including it as a highlight because it was considered an error, I guess.
KT
ball hit his glove pretty squarely
Anonymous
I agree with the error call, but Dre hit the ball well.
Anonymous
Tough for Mayben to catch that one.
Anonymous
Errr, what KT said.
KT
Nice James…
you know why we need to Kennedy bat 5th so that the pitcher relaxes with two outs against Loney
Christopher Staaf
I guess that’s a rational explanation for Kennedy’s spot in the lineup. I am still wondering what the justification is for Kennedy being in the big leagues period!
Anonymous
we can thank Maddon for that, did you read the Dodgers.com article?
KT
No…what did it say?
Christopher Staaf
I can see justification for Kennedy’s roster spot if he was a sure handed fielder but Kennedy isn’t anything special. Something is up and I would like to think Kennedy won’t be with the team after Memorial Day when all the guys come back from the DL.
KT
He bought those incriminating photos from Velez
Anonymous
Mattingly is a genius.
Anonymous
i have to say, with Kemp out & what not, i’m happy the Dodgers are winning 5-0.
It takes a team to win baby!
Anonymous
Our much maligned lineup is doing fairly well today I see (well some of them anyway) !
Anonymous
Looking like the Gnats’ infield.
Anonymous
Coming up through the Gnats’ system, Hinshaw never even learned how to wear his cap properly.
KT
Left fielder hurt his shoulder on that attempted catch of the line drive off Tony’s bat
Anonymous
i wonder if it was a dislocated shoulder, i dislocated my left shoulder once & had to pop it back in.
KT
subluxation (Dislocated) of the left shoulder
KT
Aaron needs more work on his bunting skills
Anonymous
there’s a few that come to mind that are bad & Harang is right up there.
Anonymous
Its a wonder that Aaron was able to sac 11 times one season. Back in 2007, when he was 4th in CYA voting.
KT
I know why the line up is as so…It’s because they are trying to get Bobby in the habit of leading off an inning just in case the have to move him into the leadoff spot in the lineup
Anonymous
Not the greatest call on Maybin.
KT
no the ump definitely was lulled to sleep before that pitch
Anonymous
They seem to be trying to speed up the game. Must be the lure of SD nightlife.
KT
I wish they would speed it up…I’m getting tired and not sure how much longer my son will last
Anonymous
James hears you.
KT
Nice hit Dre
Anonymous
5-0 Dodgers in the 7th, very nice outing by Harang.
Anonymous
His bunting, not so much.
KT
Good hit AJ
Anonymous
i really neet to get some time to vote for AJ for all-star.
KT
already voted him 125 x’s…soon as i get more time I’ll start using the in-laws e-mail addresses
Christopher Staaf
I hope after this weekend’s series against the Cardinals, the rest of the country (especially on Sunday Night Baseball) will get to see the National League’s best catcher. And I am not talking about the excellent Yadier Molina.
I am like you KT. I voted for AJ enough already lol
Anonymous
Hinshaw was surprised to be pitching to a righty.
Anonymous
A.J. is unstoppable!
Also, nice slide by Ethier.
Anonymous
Mattingly is hoping for a WP? (Ha! almost got one.)
Anonymous
Harrang swings better than he bunts that’s for sure.
Anonymous
oh man, to funny!! LOL
KT
Harang with the swinging bunt…maybe that’s the only way he can get a bunt down
Christopher Staaf
Now everyone but Dee has a hit today.
Anonymous
hopefully he joins the party in his next at bat.
KT
Dee’s turn
KT
9 runners left on base for this bad lineup, a shift might get some of the runners home
Anonymous
Looks like Aaron’s third QS in a row.
Anonymous
Love Jamey Wrights sick moving fastball.
Anonymous
one thing i’ve noticed from Van Slyke is that he stands kind of far off the plate, a pitcher can really expose that.
Anonymous
Yeah. Right before he sets he takes a step back and opens up a little bit.
Anonymous
I like it and think Gordon is standing way too close and Loney could still ease back another inch.
KT
3 more guys
Anonymous
It ain’t over till the big guy begins to warm up.
KT
Another rbi for AJ…start stuffing your ballots
KT
Got to put my son to bed…night all and hold down the fort….I don’t want to be suprised tomorrow when I log on
Anonymous
Night to the both of you.
Anonymous
Coffey came in with a BAbip of .563.
Anonymous
Coffey still not fooling anybody.
Anonymous
In game situations where Coffey would now pitch, why not use Loney or a position player that can throw strikes instead and go with one less pitchers on the 25 man roster?
Anonymous
Programming note for those who don’t pay for subscriptions to individual cable channels: Saturday’s game will be on MLB Network, and Sunday night’s game will be on Fox.
Anonymous
This Sunday, day after tomorrow? My schedule (Dish) says it’s on ESPN…
Anonymous
My bad. Fixed. :)
foul tip
Understand the final score from last night was the Los Angeles Hamstrings 8, the San Diego Sadres 1.
Injuries are part of it, but wonder what the odds are of 3 key players for one team being out at the same time with the same injury? Or how often it happens, if much at all?
Anonymous
I think we have three everyday key players: Matty, Dre and AJ. Hairston has certainly contributed and is a nice story (this year’s Jaime Carroll), who may or may not have taken Uribe’s job from him. Just can’t see him maintaining his performance at the current level. Juan Rivera had a nice half for us last year, but I certainly hope he is not considered to be key for anything this year. Just my two cents and really doesn’t answer your question.
Anonymous
No Loney at least for his glove? I forgot the acronym for Loney :)
Anonymous
Batting behind Kennedy last night and the two guys fresh off the farm the night before pretty much takes WGJ out of the running for being a key player, I would think.
foul tip
Loney’s likely only association with the word “key” is try to find the one which unlocks the doghouse he has played himself into.
Anonymous
But AJ has definitely been the feel good story so far.
foul tip
Agreed that Rivera and Hairston are not difference-makers long-term. Kemp, of course, is.
Short-term, as in this year’s hot start, can be a different story. Hairston was playing the role of supersub superbly, and Rivera was beginning to hit. Matt Kemp? ‘Nuff sed.
Mattingly has made it clear he thinks all 3 are key. So they’re going to see the field when healthy, regardless whether they prove him right.
Anonymous
So far it appears that Abreu 2012 has been playing the role of Rivera 2011.
underdog
Hairston’s definitely missed, though. He was a key contributor. Heck, right now Uribe is missed, too. Be nice to at least get Jerry back sometime within the next few weeks. Abreu has been a big upgrade in LF, so far. I hope they don’t play him everyday though, or the magic will wear off.
Anonymous
Not only the hamstring, but in each case the left hamstring.
Anonymous
Probably relevant to all three being right-handed batters?
Anonymous
There are three other other everday ML players on the DL with hamstring injuries. All are left hamstrings and all bat righthanded.
Anonymous
Yesterday, Yan Gomes of the Toronto Loonies became the first Brazilian-born player in the major leagues, going two-for-three at the plate. No apparent relation to Johnny Gomes.
Anonymous
I think a couple Brazilians had played briefly in Japan. I think they were Japanese-Brazilians, which is a fairly big part of the population there.
Anonymous
I have seen Japanese-Paraguayans playing in the latter country.
Anonymous
Didn’t the Pirates have two Indian ex cricket players in their farm system?
Anonymous
Though he started as a cricketer, Andre Rodgers of the Gnats was the first Bahamian (West Indian) to play in the major leagues, lasting 11 years with the Cubs and Pirates as well, plus a year in Japan. A few others have since followed, but they’ve never been major talents.
Anonymous
So, Kerry Wood is “retiring” from the Cubs after his next appearance.
Think Ned has put a call into his agent to see if he’d like to come to Spring Training next season?
Anonymous
Package with Mark Prior??
Jon Weisman
“The Dodgers’ six-run fifth inning Sunday was their highest-scoring
inning of the season, and it featured only two run-scoring plays; a
three-run double by Bobby Abreu and a three-run homer by A.J. Ellis. The Dodgers hadn’t had two three-run hits in the same inning since August 24, 2004, when Adrian Beltre hit a grand slam and Alex Cora hit a three-run homer in an eight-run fifth inning in Montreal.”
http://es.pn/KlvjK9
Jon Weisman
Looking at DT right now, it appears I’ve basically been off since Monday.
Anonymous
We misbehaved?
foul tip
What’s Darvish’s ancestry? Japanese and what?
Anthony Forkush
Persian.
Anonymous
“Persian” is outdated; Now we’d say, “Iranian”.
foul tip
You guys who know a lot more about other teams’ rosters, minor leaguers, and such…
Item on Wood’s retirement points out he will have to be replaced, however the Cubs do it.
Do they have a position player (bat) somewhere that would help the Dodgers in exchange for
Coffey? Plugging the small hole he’d leave in the pen–if any–shouldn’t be hard.
Couldn’t blame us for trying out here in armchair GM land…
Jon Weisman
A last-place team offering something useful to a first-place team for a reliever with an ERA in double digits? I’m not hopeful.
Jeffrey Thomas III
Blake DeWitt?
Anonymous
Not a bad idea to bring back DeWitt.
foul tip
Nor am I, really. But the Cubs already showed desperation/pure genius signing MacDougal. So you never know.
Anonymous
I’d take Blake DeWitt, available at AAA Iowa.
Jeffrey Thomas III
That’s the first time anybody has ever inferred that Coffey would leave only a small hole.
Anonymous
Coffey and a heads up that McDougal is available.
Jon Weisman
McDougal already got picked up.
Anonymous
Wood’s last appearance was a strikeout in the eighth, then replaced by another reliever. Even A.J. PIerzynski applauded him.
Anonymous
What are the odds of Kennedy hitting 5th tonight?
Jon Weisman
NPUT