Dodgers Drop The Ball in "LA"
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 12:00 AM PDT
in Game Recaps
11 comments
The Dodgers lost to the Angels 5-4 in the first game of a three game set. Chad Billingsley struggled all day, fighting through six innings while allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, five walks, and three strikeouts. Joe Saunders struggled as well, allowing ten baserunners in his 6.1 innings of work.
The Dodgers scored first in the third inning on a bases loaded walk by Casey Blake. Blake also made the play of the game in the bottom half of the second inning when he made a diving catch in foul territory to get Billingsley out of a bases loaded jam.
The Angels tied the game in the third when Chone Figgins scored on a Vladimir Guerrero single. Figgins got to second base when Billingsley threw the ball away on a pickoff attempt.
James Loney hit his third homerun of the year in the fourth to put the Dodgers back on top 2-1. Rafael Furcal hit a two run homer an inning later to give the Dodgers a 4-1 lead. Orlando Hudson followed up with a double (his second of the day, he also had a single) but he was left stranded.
In the 6th inning the Angels finally capitalized on Billingsley's wildness. After a Torii Hunter leadoff walk, Vladimir Guerrero singled to put two men on with nobody out. Juan Rivera flied out and Kendry Morales walked on a 10 pitch at bat to load the bases. Maicer Izturis singled to right, bringing in two runs, and then Mike Napoli hit a sacrifice fly to the score.
The game stayed quiet until the 8th inning, when the Dodgers loaded the bases with two outs. Unfortunately Juan Pierre didn't come through, instead he flied out in foul territory to left fielder Juan Rivera. In the bottom half of the inning Rivera stabbed the dagger through the Dodgers' hearts when he launched a home run to left field off of reliever Guillermo Mota.
The Dodgers had a chance in the 9th, when Rafael Furcal opened the inning with a leadoff single off of Angels closer Brian Fuentes. However, again the Dodgers decided to give up outs in the late innings, as Orlando Hudson layed down a sacrifice bunt to get Furcal over to second base. This strategy was unsuccessful; Casey Blake struck out and then after an Andre Ethier walk Matt Kemp struck out to end the game. The question must be asked, how many times will the Dodgers fruitlessly give away outs using their best hitters before they try doing something else, like maybe letting them do what they get paid to do?
Here's the win probability chart for the game. At its peak our win expectancy was 86.7%:
Tommorow at 6:05 PM the battle of the Weaver brothers begins, as Jeff Weaver takes on his younger brother Jered Weaver. This will Jeff Weaver's first start since May 20th.
WP - Justin Speier (3-1): 0.1 IP, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk
LP - Guillermo Mota (3-2): 1.2 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 0 strikeouts
SV - Brian Fuentes (19): 1 IP, 1 hit, 0 runs, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts
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i hate torre's managerial shortcomings.
Dodgers - 2008 NL West Champions
Cardinals - 2008 NFC Champions
by wongy on Jun 20, 2009 12:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
They are unfortunate.
I still think he’s not bad when you compare him to the rest of the managers in the MLB though.
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 3:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
We need a new baseball stastistic that measures games Mota has thrown away.
We know nothing about the enemy. But we can assume this: they stand for everything we don’t stand for. Also they told me you guys look like dorks!
by Sordid on Jun 20, 2009 11:46 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Losses?
Win Probability Added?
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Those statistics do not fully capture the futility of Mota. The creators of those statistics did not foresee the awfulness of Mota. :)
We know nothing about the enemy. But we can assume this: they stand for everything we don’t stand for. Also they told me you guys look like dorks!
by Sordid on Jun 20, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He did have 12 scoreless innings in a row before that bomb.
But, yeah…
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 1:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Torre fell into a lull and tried to push Mota into more of an inning of work again.
He’s a one inning pitcher.
by Tripon on Jun 20, 2009 1:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think he can go multiple innings
As long as he doesn’t face guys more than once.
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apparently Oh!Hudson was bunting on his own,
hoping for a hit. So I, once again, retract my venomous fangs from Torre on this point.
I still think it was a poor idea on Hudson’s part. Maybe, just maybe, if he was trying to drag one as a LH hitter, but he was up as a righty against Fuentes. He’s the #3 hitter, and a good hitter; he should be taking his normal approach there.
by David Young on Jun 20, 2009 1:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It was odd. All 3 outs came out on Hudson, Blake, and Kemp.
All right handers. People who should have had an advantage against Fuentes.
While Furcal(who did bat right) and Ethier a lefty made Fuentes work.
by Tripon on Jun 20, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
While I thought it was Hudson's call
It really still shouldn’t completely excuse Torre. He should explicitly tell Hudson before the inning that if Furcal gets on he doesn’t want him to bunt him over, he wants him swinging away.
by Brendan Scolari on Jun 20, 2009 2:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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