Dodgers at Cardinals, 5:15 p.m.
Kershaw CXXXVII: Kershuwnger Games
Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
James Loney, 1B
Juan Rivera, LF
Luis Cruz, SS
Matt Treanor, C
Clayton Kershaw, P
For all their woes at different times this season, the Dodgers and Angels are tied for the seventh-best record in baseball as play opens tonight …
- With Luis Cruz’s HR last night, the Dodgers have matched Babe Ruth’s 1927 season with 60 HR, notes Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. And it’s only July!
- James Loney nearly made his pitching debut Sunday, writes Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.
- Mike Petriello of Mike Scioscia’s Tragic Illness delves into the rising costs of deadline acquisitions.
- Ross Stripling, the Dodgers’ fifth-round draft pick this year, earns praise from John Sickels of Minor League Ball. “I would not be surprised if Stripling rises rapidly through the Dodgers farm system in the next year or two,” Sickels writes. “He could be an inning-eating strike machine at the major league level.
- On this date in 1947, writes Chris Jaffe of the Hardball Times, the Dodgers ended a 38-year period of being below .500 all-time as a franchise. A 6-1 victory over Cincinnati made them 4,650-4,650.
Anonymous
I’m starting to get a bit annoyed by the way BPros rates our playoff odds.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/odds/
We have MUCH better than 1/3 odds to get the one-game ticket, and/or beat the G’s.
Is a healthy Lilly possibly in the picture in mid-september?
Anonymous
I think Lilly is scheduled to be back mid-August
Anonymous
I don’t care what they say, I consider the Dodgers to be division favorites who could run away with it if they strengthen the roster a bit.
Anonymous
You do realize this is all based on computer simulations.
Anonymous
I’m the kind of person that takes hundreds of thousands of montecarlos personally.
But, seriously, they aren’t factoring in Ned snapping out of it and getting Fields in ASAP.
The new ownership group isn’t that out to lunch.
Anonymous
they do it every day; when the roster changes the simulations will change
Jon Weisman
Dodgers pitcher Lilly throws 3 simulated innings http://es.pn/NIPdne
Anonymous
Hope you realize that was probably on a computer as well.
KT
^_^
Anonymous
I was comparing lineups, and St. Louis has a better one by far.
Anonymous
the difference was even more pronounced last night when they had their LHH in
underdog
This is definitely their “A” lineup, it’s very good, yes deeper than LA’s.
Of course, very often great pitching trumps a good lineup, and hopefully we’ll see that again tonight.
peter drysdale
Considering the Dodgers are thought of as one of the top all-time baseball franchises, it’s hard to believe they were bad enough to be under .500 for 38 years. That’s crazy.
Anonymous
The Red Sox were the Yankees of baseball up until 1919. The Dodgers’ immense success has come largely in the last 70 years.
Anonymous
For comparison purposes, the Toronto Blue Jays needed 11 straight seasons above .500 and two straight World Series championships before they finally got their career mark above .500 in 1993; they’ve yet to get there a second time.
Anonymous
Farewell Sherman Hemsley, aka George Jefferson.
Anonymous
I remember running into him in Tower Records on Sunset Blvd. about 25 years ago. Nice guy.
Jim Hitchcock
Used to be the only Tower Records, then they expanded…and went bankrupt.
Sure was a good store, though.
Anonymous
Movin’ on up.
Anonymous
In his honor:
http://www.collegehumor.com/video/3423050/hitler-sings-jeffersons-theme
Anonymous
I would hope Hanley Ramirez could play third; if not, we give shortstop a try. If still no fit, I’d make a first baseman out of him…
Anonymous
If all else fails, we could move to the AL, stick him at DH and play the Angels every other day.
Casey Barker
No thank you on Hanley Ramirez.
KT
Good hustle Jerry
veryolddodgerfan
sure happy to see hairston at 3b rather than, you know, wBBas’s best friend
Anonymous
So half a half swing gets you rung up.
Anonymous
The ump read his intention.
KT
good inning Clayton – 12 pitches
veryolddodgerfan
ok i’m happy to trade Zack Lee for Aramis. Who is with me on that?
Anonymous
Worth consideration.
Dr. Rockso
Id rather get an exciting player like Carl Crawford… maybe he could be a Trout-like influence.
Anonymous
Carl Crawford is through.
Anonymous
how can you possibly think you know such a thing?
Anonymous
A-ram is an upgrade from Uribe. Of course, so am I. I can do a Jason Kendall stance and get hit every 5th AB.
T.M. Brown
Anytime you can trade a 20 year old first round pick who is the #64 prospect in the majors for a 34 year old 3B with durability and personality issues you do it!
veryolddodgerfan
to counter i might say I always trade a prospect that no one says will be an ace and who may never pitch in the majors for the best offensive 3B available in the majors who could change the outcome of the pennant race and who is under control contract wise. filling the biggest hole you have with a guy whose been average 25-30 hrs a year forever. 34 is just a number.
T.M. Brown
Ah, yes I do recall Casey Blake fondly.
veryolddodgerfan
hahahah. Casey Blake’s stats couldn’t carry A Ram’s jock strap.
underdog
Treanor perfectly framed that like the masterpiece it was.
KT
Clayton is so hot he wasn’t going to waste the energy running on the dropped strike 3
KT
Good hit Jerry
KT
we know to hit them near next inning
T.M. Brown
Clayton Kershaw: Big Puma Hunter
KT
Come on DP
Anonymous
Why is Kershaw throwing low pitches to somebody who’s trying to bunt?
KT
Nice Clayton…just 44 after 3…Looking good
KT
wandy Rodriguez to the pirates
KT
good eye Dre
Come on James
KT
Nice hit James
Come on Juan
KT
Nice Juan!!
Come on Luis
KT
Way to go Luis!!
Come on Matt
Anonymous
KT, you should have a pretyped comment ready to go,
Way to go ……
C’mon …….
:)
KT
Come on Clayton help yourself
T.M. Brown
It seems like the Hairston sons keep themselves in absurd, Steve-Nash-like shape WRT diet, etc. and it really shows. I know the NBA is pretty terrible when it comes to diet, especially for the younger guys, but I can’t imagine the MLB is much better (see: Ramirez, Hanley).
Anonymous
Unfortunately, the D’s have seemed to let Wain—- find his groove. But Clayton seems to also be in “the groove”.
Anonymous
seemed
Anonymous
Groove quickly became funk. :(
Anonymous
I thought we were done with Daniel Murphy.
Anonymous
Just saw Jon’s Kershaw title. Love it. Okay, Clayton, settle down now.
KT
Come on James start it off
KT
Good job James
Come on Juan
underdog
that would’ve been foul yesterday. If a Dodger hit it. ;)
Man, Kersh is leaving the ball up the last 2 innings. Maybe he really is gassed by the heat now. So many good right handed hitters to put in vs Kershaw doesn’t help his cause either today.
Anonymous
Kershaw has lost it.
Jeffrey Thomas III
This is terribly frustrating to watch.
Jeffrey Thomas III
And it just got worse.
Anonymous
Especially when you’ve got the best pitcher in baseball on the mound.
KT
I’m not feeling well tonight and this game isn’t helping anymore…Night all…Here’s to walking up tomorrow and seeing a win
Anonymous
Rally!
Anonymous
Or not…
Anonymous
It doesn’t help when you can’t get the opposing pitcher out
Anonymous
Come on Padres, do us a favour!
Anonymous
And that is that – the streak vs the Cardinals is over, lets bounce back tomorrow
Jon Weisman
NPUT