Category: Game chat (Page 1 of 23)
Let’s look at the Dodgers’ roster for tonight’s game:
Starting lineup
1) Carl Crawford, LF
2) Nick Punto, 2B
3) Matt Kemp, CF
4) Andre Ethier, RF
5) A.J. Ellis, C
6) Juan Uribear, 1B
7) Luis Cruz, 3B
8 ) Dee Gordon, SS
9) Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
Available off bench
10) Ramon Hernandez, C
11) Skip Schumaker, IF-OF
12) Justin Sellers, SS
13) Clayton Kershaw, PH
Rested in bullpen
14) Matt Guerrier, RHP
15) Kenley Jansen, RHP
16) Paco Rodriguez, LHP (15 pitches Saturday)
Not so rested in bullpen
17) Brandon League, RHP (26 pitches Saturday)
18) Ronald Belisario, RHP (25 pitches Saturday, six Friday)
19) Josh Beckett, RHP (Tuesday’s starter)
In the chorus?
20) Mark Ellis, 2B (quadricep)
21) Adrian Gonzalez, 1B (neck)
22) Jerry Hairston, IF-OF (groin)
23) J.P. Howell, LHP (38 pitches Saturday)
24) Javy Guerra, RHP (34 pitches Saturday)
25) Matt Magill, P (63 pitches Saturday)
Remember — the “100 Things Dodgers” booksigning is Saturday in Pasadena.
Jerry Hairston Jr., LF
Nick Punto, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Luis Cruz, 3B
Clayton Kershaw, P
Our good friend Alex Belth of Bronx Banter posts a 1992 GQ story by Peter Richmond on Tommy Lasorda and Tommy Lasorda Jr. It’s quite a piece of writing, especially in the light of recent events.
Remember — the “100 Things Dodgers” booksigning is Saturday in Pasadena.
Nick Punto, 2B
Hanley Ramirez, SS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Skip Schumaker, LF
Juan Uribe, 3B
Josh Beckett, P
Carl Crawford was a late scratch with tightness in his right hamstring.
Matt Kemp has a .444 on-base percentage and .513 slugging in his past 11 games. If you’re wondering about his power, that’s going to be the last thing to return following his labrum surgery.
Justin Sellers has a .385 on-base percentage and .378 slugging in his past 15 games since starting the season 0 for 13.
Carl Crawford, LF
Nick Punto, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Juan Uribe, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Clayton Kershaw, P
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Juan Uribe, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Josh Beckett, P
Skip Schumaker , LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Matt Kemp, CF
Andre Ethier, RF
Jerry Hairston Jr., 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Nick Punto, SS
Ted Lilly, P
If you haven’t seen Milwaukee’s baserunning adventures in the eighth inning Friday, they’re a treat.
Dodgers at Orioles, 10:05 a.m.
Carl Crawford, DH
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Skip Schumaker, LF
Luis Cruz, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
(Hyun-Jin Ryu, P)
Carl Crawford, DH
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Skip Schumaker, LF
Luis Cruz, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Here’s an interview I did with Fresno’s ESPN AM 1430 before Monday’s game.
Padres at Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Juan Uribe, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Chris Capuano, P
From a celebratory day to a tragic one, cherish the good in one another. Find a way.
All my thoughts to those affected by the horrific events in Boston today.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
A.J. Ellis, C
Andre Ethier, RF
Luis Cruz, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Chad Billingsley, P
Singing the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium on Monday for Jackie Robinson Night will be Branch Rickey’s great-granddaughter, Kelley Jakle.
“Mr. Rickey, do you want a singer who’s afraid to do all sorts of vocal tricks during the anthem?”
“No. I want a singer with the guts not to do all sorts of vocal tricks during the anthem!”
Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 1:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Luis Cruz, SS
Nick Punto, 3B
Josh Beckett, P
Update: Apparently the information the Dodgers sent this morning was incorrect, and Jakle is singing “God Bless America,” not the anthem.
Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 5:10 p.m.
Carl Crawford, LF
Skip Schumaker, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Ramon Hernandez, C
Luis Cruz, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Hyun-Jin Ryu, P
More magic from the Giants today, who for the second time in under 48 hours rallied from a deficit of at least four runs. The defending champions are now 7-3.
I do have some doubts about San Francisco long-term, however, and they center on a somewhat surprising place — their starting rotation. Tim Lincecum hasn’t convinced anyone he’s going rally to be an effective starter this year, putting more pressure on Barry Zito’s renaissance to prove real.
Should Lincecum falter, it could be up to someone like Chris Heston, who turned 25 Wednesday, to step up and save the Giants’ staff. Heston had a 2.24 ERA with a 1.103 WHIP and 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings for Double-A Richmond last year, but he is not one of the team’s top-10 prospects, according to Baseball America. San Francisco’s best starting pitching prospects are in the lower minors.
Look, the Giants will probably find a way to solve any rotation issues, but it just feels a little more precarious than usual.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
A.J. Ellis, C
Luis Cruz, 3B
Justin Sellers, SS
Zack Greinke, P
Eleven men, brave and true, have pitched for the Dodgers in this young season. None, with the possible exception of Zack Greinke (who has publicly acknowledged social anxiety and depression issues), have had their performances psychoanalyzed in terms of mental toughness.
But back to the couch tonight, for the first time since his 2012 midseason injury, comes Chad Billingsley. It will be a test — not just for Billingsley, but for Dodger fans, who have habitually graded the righthander’s mental toughness ever since the 2008 playoffs.
Carl Crawford, LF
Mark Ellis, 2B
Matt Kemp, CF
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
Andre Ethier, RF
Luis Cruz, 3B
A.J. Ellis, C
Justin Sellers, SS
Chad Billingsley, P
The practice went on hiatus during the six-game, 1.30 ERA hot streak that came right before Billingsley was sidelined. Will it return as soon as he has his first bad inning, or will there be the kind of grace period that other pitchers get when they are coming back from an injury? I have my suspicions, but it would be nice if Dodger fans could be as clear-headed as they expect their pitcher to be.
The thing to remember is, Billingsley was having an odd 2012 even before its supernova finish. From July 28:
