Troncoso Saves The Day For Dodgers
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 8:57 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Recaps
Email
PrintThe score may have been the same as Friday night, but tonight's 6-5 Dodger win had an entirely different backstory.
After a four-run first inning which saw the Dodger leadoff batter reach base to start the tenth consecutive game and five straight two-out hits, the Dodgers looked to put away Ubaldo Jimenez early. However, James McDonald ran into more trouble in the third inning, walking three and allowing three runs. After the Dodgers padded their lead to 6-3, all McDonald had to do was last through five to qualify for his first major league win.
Well, that didn't come easy either. After settling down, McDonald allowed a two-run homer to Garrett Atkins in the fifth that cut the lead to 6-5. McDonald pitched five innings, but had his third straight unimpressive start. McDonald has seemed good out of the gate each time he has pitched, but after his second inning he has faltered:
| Situation | IP | H | R | BB | K | Opp | ERA |
| 1st 2 IP | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .160/.222/.200 | 0.00 |
| After 2 IP | 5.2 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 3 | .304/.515/.609 | 15.88 |
Enter Ramon Troncoso.
The sinkerballing specialist came in the game in the sixth inning to protect a one-run lead, and boy did he protect it! Troncoso pitched the final four frames to close out the win, getting eight groundball outs and a strikeout while allowing only an infield single in his 45 pitches.
Troncoso's first major league save closed out James McDonald's first major league win, and the save was a notable one. Troncoso's masterpiece was only the 52nd four-inning save in Los Angeles Dodger history, an average of one per year.
This was the first Dodger four-inning save since Wilson Alvarez at Jacobs Field in 2003, and the first to protect a one-run lead the entire time since Jerry Reuss in April 1979.
When this turn in the rotation comes up again Thursday against the Padres, would McDonald or Troncoso be a better option to start?
Clayton Kershaw goes to the hill on Sunday, hoping to rebound from his poor outing in Houston on Tuesday. Jason Marquis will start for Colorado. Ken Gurnick tells us both Rafael Furcal and Casey Blake are expected to rest Sunday, in favor of Juan Castro and Blake DeWitt, respectively. UPDATE: Tony Jackson tells us Manny will sit as well on Sunday, for the first time all year, in favor of Juan Pierre.
Oh yeah, the Dodgers are tied with St. Louis for the best record in baseball, at 13-5.
39 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
No idea why I used an exlamation point :)
Perhaps the 13-5 start has me too excited!!!
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 9:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Aw crap
I just read (via Tony Jax) that Manny is sitting for the first time this year. Pierre in LF (hopefully not leading off).
Poor Kershaw. It might be tough getting run support tomorrow.
by silverwidow on Apr 25, 2009 10:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Bound to happen sometime
I think the revised lineup will be something like:
Pierre
Hudson
Ethier
Kemp
Loney
Martin
DeWitt
Castro
Kershaw
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 10:30 PM PDT up reply actions
It might be tough getting run support tomorrow
Against the Rockies at Coors?
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 25, 2009 11:52 PM PDT up reply actions
Only two starts better in LAD history
1977: 15-3
1981: 14-4
Then again, the 2005 squad was also 13-5, but I refuse to be daunted.
Yeah...can you guys not get greedy and throw us a bone
The Broncos’ collapse and Rockies start is enough to send we fans scrambling to shrinks
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 25, 2009 11:09 PM PDT up reply actions
Unfortunately
I have to say I hope we sweep you guys. But i do think the Rockies are a much better team than they’ve shown thus far. Things will certainly get better.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 25, 2009 11:24 PM PDT up reply actions
If it makes you feel any better
I’m also a Raiders fan :)
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 11:45 PM PDT up reply actions
That must be incredibly painful
The draft day show performed verbal mutilation of Raider Nation without hesitation
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 25, 2009 11:53 PM PDT up reply actions
Troncoso should be running away with the poll
but he’s not.
Seriously, McD is far more suited for relief.
He needs the pressure to throw strikes
In one or two innings, McDonald can concentrate on fastball command, while mixing in some changeups. When he starts, he likes to nibble A LOT, which ruins him every time.
Seriously, McD is far more suited for relief.
I agree with you
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 25, 2009 11:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Old Friend updates
Andy LaRoche (MLB): .250/.296/.354
Bryan Morris (High A): Minor League DL
John Meloan (AAA): 6.52 ERA
Carlos Santana (AA): .220/.339/.540
And
Joel The Destroyer: .069/.129/.069 (2 for 29 with 2 walks) in AAA
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 10:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Yikes
Poor Joel.
Bow down to his Royal Thighness.
by the big grabowski on Apr 25, 2009 11:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Tony Jackson also reported
McDonald would in fact start Thursday, rendering our poll moot! :)
McDonald gutted his way through five innings, and Torre said after the game that he’ll be back out there in five days, in the homestand opener against the Pods on Thursday night.
McDonald in the pen
I wrote that I believed that’s where he belonged almost two months ago. Tell me if I’m wrong, but it seems he was begrudgingly put in the rotation when other candidates failed to take the job in ST.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on Apr 25, 2009 11:08 PM PDT reply actions
No you're right.
He wasn’t really a candidate originally.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 25, 2009 11:22 PM PDT up reply actions
I voted for Troncoso
He is underrated and has good stuff. His sinker is much better than McDonald’s fastball, which he has to locate perfectly. Troncoso has had good peripherals and I really believe he is a significant upgrade over McDonald. Maybe it’s just small sample size but McDonald has been better in short stints. We can’t afford to have someone go out there and give up 5 runs in 5 innings or less everytime.
by Brendan Scolari on Apr 25, 2009 11:18 PM PDT reply actions
I’d like tomorrows score to be 6/5 so that Eric can figure out the last time we had three identical scores that were victories.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Damn you!
I already have 2 or 3 goose chase type searches I need to do. This just adds to the list.
Ahh, who am I kidding? I love it.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 25, 2009 11:47 PM PDT up reply actions
The last time
the Dodgers won three straight 6-5 games was April 8-12, 2000.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 26, 2009 12:07 AM PDT up reply actions
3 starts
And he’s far more suited for relief?
Despite being a starter his whole career and not having control problems like this before? Honestly, it’s not like he’s been getting shelled as of yet.
You don’t go Seattle Mariners and give up on a rotation arm, even a middling one, for a guy who may or may not be better in the pen for an inning.
At what level has he proven he’s better in short relief?
OPS against
Starter: .802 (BABIP .222, so he hasn’t been unlucky)
Reliever: .528 (BABIP .250)
It’s a small sample size but you also can’t ignore that his stuff is a touch better in relief as well (more ticks on the fastball). That may or may not be where he belongs long term, but in 2009, it’s where he helps the team most.
I agree with that
That may or may not be where he belongs long term, but in 2009, it’s where he helps the team most.
I’d like to see McDonald do well as a starter, but there’s a point when the plug should be pulled. Based on his quotes last night, he seems to lose concentration in the middle innings.
I don’t have a problem with J-Mac in the rotation, and perhaps the hot start has afforded the Dodgers some rope here, but he has to do better to stay in the rotation, and fast.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 26, 2009 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions
You guys are pulling the plug way to fast. McDonald doesn’t have the stuff to just waltz in like our other bulldozer prospects, he will need plenty of games to learn how to start at the major league level. Troncoso has been great but when was the last time he pitched more then 4 innings in a non winter professional game? The idea that he should just step in to our rotation without any professional starts seems absurd. He will need to goto to AAA to get some starts before stepping into our rotation. His arm has no history of being able to handle five innings at the current time.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Concentration
Is an experience thing. Billingsley looked solid in the bullpen in 2007 from what I can recall.
It’s weird to me, because as a fan of Troncoso for a long time, just a week ago, people have been saying he shouldn’t even be on the Dodgers team. 2 great outings later and he should replace McDonald?
It just reeks of overreaction.
by Chad Moriyama on Apr 26, 2009 4:03 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s weird to me, because as a fan of Troncoso for a long time, just a week ago, people have been saying he shouldn’t even be on the Dodgers team. 2 great outings later and he should replace McDonald?
Can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m a fan of both guys and want them to succeed right away. When there was talk that Tron was going to be converted to a starter, it was very interesting because of his groundball rates. Since that never took place, McDonald was a good fall back option because of his minor league track record. But it’s all about weighing the upside: do we want a good starter with an average FB and variety of off-speed pitches, or possible impact reliever with a big differential between the hard stuff and slow stuff? I’ll take the latter THIS YEAR for McDonald. If Troncoso can get stretched out to 5 innings or more and continues to get consistent grounders, all while sitting at 92-93 MPH, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’d help the club more as a starter.
It’s really not that rotation that’s the problem right now though. McDonald/Stults or otherwise.
Troncoso has always come out of the pen, and he’s proven to be good at doing it. Meanwhile, McDonald hasn’t proven he’s solid out of the pen over his career, so why flip flop roles to allegedly address one concern?
by Chad Moriyama on Apr 28, 2009 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Everybody's stuff is better in relief
And his statistics should be lower in relief. It’s been proven that it’s easier to relieve than start. That should be commonsense.
I agree that he may be more helpful in the bullpen because it’s shot right now, but pulling the plug for good and saying he’s more suited for the pen is ridiculous to me.
by Chad Moriyama on Apr 26, 2009 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Small sample size...
…doesn’t say the half of it either. What is it now? 8 innings in relief, 12 innings as a starter?
If only we judged all prospects so quickly.
by Chad Moriyama on Apr 26, 2009 4:10 PM PDT up reply actions
It's going to end up moot
because McDonald probably won’t get significant innings as a starter once Kuroda comes back. At that point, his sample size as a reliever will go way up.
by silverwidow on Apr 26, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions
"Pulling the plug for good"
Sure, that might be a ridiculous assertion. But saying McDonald is more suited for relief in 2009 – his rookie year – is not ridiculous, however.
Lineup per Tony Jackson
Pierre 7
Hudson 4
Ethier 9
Loney 3
Martin 2
Kemp 8
DeWitt 5
Castro 6
Kershaw 1
Game thread will be up in about 15 minutes
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- The Cardinals Hall of Fame can now be found at Bill Clinton’s library in Arkansas (Huh?)
- Will Bryce Harper start the season with the Nationals?
- Mitch Mustain puts football behind him, signs reported rookie deal with White Sox
- Robinson Cano and Denzel Washington face off in Jay Leno’s Yankees trivia contest
- Shane Victorino lands role on ‘Hawaii Five-0′
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
