Billingsley Short But Sweet As Dodgers Rip Braves, 9-1
by Eric Stephen on Aug 2, 2009 8:55 PM PDT
in Game Recaps
32 comments
Chad Billingsley was wonderful for five innings tonight, just as he was Tuesday in St. Louis. However, his night was cut short again, although this time as a precaution as Billingsley felt uncomfortable after a pitch in the bottom of the fifth. He did stay in the game, long enough to strike out Greg Norton to end the inning, but the ESPN replays seemed to show a potential hyper-extension of his left knee. However, Charley Steiner on the radio broadcast later reported that Billingsley's malady was just a cramp, so we can all breathe a sigh of relief.
While he was in there, Billingsley allowed only a pair of doubles and a walk, while striking out nine Braves. Matt Kemp provided all the support the Dodgers would need, with a towering three-run home run to dead center in the fifth inning. Kemp had five RBI, and was one of three Dodgers with three hits (with Andre Ethier and James Loney).
The Dodger offense finally broke out, on the final game of the road trip, pounding out 19 hits on their way to nine runs. Mark Loretta, in a three for 32 slump coming in, and starting at third base in place of the injured Casey Blake, collected two hits himself, including an RBI single in the fourth inning. Every Dodger offensive starter got on base at least twice tonight.
Even Jason Schmidt joined the offensive attack, getting a single in the sixth inning after being sent up as a pinch hitter; the byproduct of an injury with an already short bench. Schmidt ended up scoring, too. Tonight was the first hit and run for Schmidt since he homered in the home opener in 2007.
Manny Ramirez did have a single and a walk tonight, but he is in the midst of a slump in which he has no RBI in his last 43 plate appearances, since the Bobbleslam.
After Billingsley's precautionary early exit, Scott Elbert played the role of long man tonight, pitching two perfect innings before giving up a run in the eighth, his third inning of work.
The Dodgers return home overnight tonight, and will face Milwaukee to start a seven-game homestand tomorrow night. Clayton Kershaw will oppose Manny Parra in game one.
WP - Chad Billingsley (11-6): 5 IP, 2 hits, 1 walk, 9 strikeouts
LP - Jair Jurrjens (9-8): 5 IP, 10 hits, 4 runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts
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Aaron Miller.. dodgers first round pick in 09
pitched in A ball tonight… 3 innings 2 hits 2 walks and 6 Ks
by matthewmafa on Aug 2, 2009 8:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
nice outing for bills...
and some decent hitting with RISP….
by shaqfor3 on Aug 2, 2009 9:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I did a quick count…6 for 18 plus three walks with RISP tonight.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 2, 2009 9:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bill Shaikin has a couple of articles today.
One that said the proposed Bell-AGon-Loney deal between the Dodgers and Padres wasn’t really that close.
The other is that the Indians are thinking of moving Carlos Santana off of Catcher.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-bbline2-2009aug02,0,7025960.story
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 9:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
that woulda been an awesome deal for us...
but i couldnt see the padres trading those players for loney….
by shaqfor3 on Aug 2, 2009 9:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm more intrested in the Carlos Santana news.
A big part of the reason why everyone was so mad trading him for Blake because he could catch.
If the Indians are moving him off catcher, he loses a lot of value.
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 9:43 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Santana
At the time of the trade the Times ran an article in which it was said that before the deal went through Colletti consulted with Logan White and White told Colletti that Santana may not be able to be a major league catcher. So really, nothing too shocking about the news that Santana may move.
by CanuckDodger on Aug 2, 2009 9:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
what position would he play if he moves from catcher?
1st or DH?
by matthewmafa on Aug 2, 2009 10:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Santana
….was originally a third baseman. Now that we traded away our third baseman of the future, Josh Bell, for a reliever we didn’t need, we may miss Santana the third baseman more than we would have missed Santana the catcher.
by CanuckDodger on Aug 2, 2009 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
After Baez, and DeWitt is there any other 3rd base prospect that is noteworthy?
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 10:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
really
baez is not even noteworthy… everyone was talking about him becoming a pitcher in a year or so.
by matthewmafa on Aug 2, 2009 10:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Weren't you one of DeWitt's biggest fans?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Aug 2, 2009 10:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
One that said the proposed Bell-AGon-Loney deal between the Dodgers and Padres wasn’t really that close.
I didn’t see this article.
by silverwidow on Aug 2, 2009 10:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Interesting because people in Cleveland were telling me they
expect to see Santana catching in Sept with the Indians. Time will tell, the Indians used Victor Martinez at catcher and he was as bad as they come.
DH is blocked with Hafner
They won’t waste his gun at 1st base.
He was a 3rd/OF for us before the conversion. With LaPorta set for LF, Sizemore in Center, and Choo in RF I don’t see the outfield happening.
If they are going to move him off catcher to get his bat up at the ML level then they better see if he can be a major league caliber 3rd baseman but if I was a betting man, I’d bet he stays at catcher. Baseball HQ prospect analysts are split on him. One thinks his defense is bad enough he gets moved, the other thinks his defensive problems are overblown and that he will stay. But if his bat is ready to play they may not want to wait for another year of defensive training.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Aug 2, 2009 10:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hey Eric, in your Kershaw preview for tomorrow, you should do a comparison between this year and last year.
Since Kershaw is at the point have started the same number of games 21, this year and last year.
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 9:39 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I already did one when he had the exact same number of innings as a starter in both years (I believe two starts ago).
by Eric Stephen on Aug 2, 2009 10:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
kershaw tomorrow!!
i laugh at any of the idiot analysts who wanted to trade him for halladay…
i bet u hes going to be a franchise pitcher for the dodgers along with bills
by shaqfor3 on Aug 2, 2009 9:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
MIL vs LAN
I ran all three games already. Here is what I have tentatively come up with. The numbers for the third game of the series may change a little bit. Those numbers are the win probability and over/under.
M.Parra vs C.Kershaw (LAN 66.13%, 8.20)
Y.Gallardo vs H.Kuroda (LAN 53.26%, 7.11)
B.Looper vs J.Schmidt (LAN 54.27%, 9.48)
vr, Xei
by Xeifrank on Aug 2, 2009 10:21 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Looper vs. Schmidt. Now that's an match up.
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Oh no. I want the option to turn off the tv and leave after 4 innings if it becomes a bloodbath.
by Tripon on Aug 2, 2009 10:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why would you not want to see us making Looper Looney?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Aug 2, 2009 10:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
i was stumbling around looking at old baseball pictures online and came across this..
was Chan Ho’s flying kick a throw back to Baseball’s purest days?
William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.
by Ollie on Aug 3, 2009 3:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
cramps: a consequence of good hydration
I noted last night that Bills was sweating profusely. Temp was in the 80’s and humidity was like 88%. This was something we saw all too frequently in Texas, usually in the first football game of the season. It seems to be related to salt depletion. Gatoraid, in spite of the hype, doesn’t really help that much because it has a low salt content. In fact, drinking a lot actually lowers the blood salt concentration. So you stay hydrated, which is important for safety, but you get more cramps. Drinking some pickle juice (brine) is a good preventative. or salt tabs. And yes, I am a doctor.
f**k, man, there's a beverage here!
by seesdifferent on Aug 3, 2009 8:22 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You may be a doctor
but not a chef. Pickle juice??? How about some pretzels or peanuts.
by Dodger Dude on Aug 3, 2009 8:37 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can haz pretzul?
f**k, man, there's a beverage here!
by seesdifferent on Aug 3, 2009 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Microwave popcorn with lots of extra salt works for me. Then wash it down with a gatorade.
vr, Xei
by Xeifrank on Aug 3, 2009 9:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
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