Billingsley Opens Series Against Reds
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 12:02 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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PrintChad Billingsley went to high school roughly 190 miles from Great American Ballpark, where the Dodgers open a three-game series today. Billingsley, who was drafted out of Defiance High School in 2003, was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame this year. He is 1-1 in two career starts in Cincinnati, but has only given up one run in each game.
In August, Billingsley has had four solid starts, albeit in somewhat limited action due to a pair of leg injuries. In his last 23 innings, Billingsley has a 2.35 ERA. Billingsley appears to be healthy now, and as Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reported:
Billingsley continues to pitch with his tender left hamstring wrapped and continues to say it doesn't bother him
Could it be that Billingsley is simply showing defiance?
Billingsley's mound opponent tonight, Homer Bailey, has simply been awful this season. In 12 starts, Bailey has a 6.82 ERA and a 5.74 FIP in 62 innings. The Dodgers hammered him for nine runs in 2.2 innings last month at Dodger Stadium.
To clear up some confusion, Tony Abreu, who was optioned to Triple A Albuquerque yesterday, cannot be called up for ten days or until the Isotopes' season ends, whichever comes first. This has been confirmed by the Dodgers. Of course, in case of injury (the Blake DeWitt gambit, if you will), Abreu could be recalled sooner if needed. However, Abreu will likely not be back with the Dodgers until September 6 at the earliest.
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The Dodgers have won 20 of their last 23 games against the Reds, including their last nine. The Dodgers swept the Reds in Los Angeles just over a month ago:
July 22: Dodgers 7, Reds 5
July 23: Dodgers 12, Reds 3
July 24: Dodgers 6, Reds 2
The Dodgers are 8-3 in their last 11 games in Cincinnati.
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Pitching Probables
Today: Chad Billingsley (12-7, 3.43 FIP) vs. Homer Bailey (3-4, 5.74 FIP), 4:10pm (KCAL)
Saturday: Charlie Haeger (1-1, 4.79 FIP) vs. Matt Maloney (0-2, 7.00 FIP), 1:10pm (Fox)
Sunday: Clayton Kershaw (8-7, 3.21 FIP) vs. Bronson Arroyo (11-12, 5.05 FIP), 10:10am (KCAL)
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Don't forget to RSVP for True Blue LA Day at Dodger Stadium, on the next-to-last day of the regular season, October 3 against the Rockies.
Get your guesses in for "Just A Bit Outside" here.
Game Time: 4:10pm
TV: KCAL
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this is a very winnable series
and i dont mean only 2 out of 3….
I never want to expect a sweep, but I agree :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 12:12 PM PDT up reply actions
ill be happy to get 2-3 i'll wont expect sweep for the rest of the season
I’ve been humbled by this very sub par second half so ill be happy just to win the series
William Doolittle at your service, a.k.a. will do.
I think many folks
expect an easy Dodger win today and will find the Ubaldo/Tim rematch a little more interesting
that's the great thing about baseball...
it rarely conforms to expectations, even when players play exactly as expected!
Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti is trying to acquire a run-producing pinch-hitter before Sept. 1, but the market is thin. Any player who joins the organization by Tuesday would be eligible for post-season play. Mark Loretta and Juan Pierre are the Dodgers’ primary pinch-hitters. Loretta is 11-for-51 (.216) with no homers and six RBIs pinch-hitting, only two of those RBIs since the All-Star break. Pierre has shown to be an effective pinch-hitter despite disliking the role (12-for-33, .364), but has no homers or RBIs and is often used to lead off an inning.
http://kengurnick.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/08/dodgers_look_to_improve_bench.html
nice
so i’m assuming we are primarily talking about a RH hitter?
by bucknellbruin on Aug 28, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions
well, not a RH, but imagine if we picked up Bonds
now there would be some mixed emotions
by stillnotah8er on Aug 28, 2009 12:46 PM PDT up reply actions
but imagine if we picked up Bonds
Imagination FAIL
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions
I expect that's also Ned's feeling on the subject
but having Barry and Manny in the same lineup would be interesting, if probably about as good an idea as having Malone and Kobe together…
by stillnotah8er on Aug 28, 2009 12:56 PM PDT up reply actions
if probably about as good an idea as having Malone and Kobe together…
You said it exactly. I would go further and suggest that it would be about as successful as making Amy Whinehouse and Dean Martin co-chairs of the March of Dimes Telethon. Just because they’re both world-class talents at the thing they love to do (getting pissed on booze), doesn’t mean good things will necessarily happen when you put them together…
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 1:15 PM PDT up reply actions
RT @johnfayman: #Reds lineup: Stubbs 8, Janish 6, Votto 3, Phillips 4, Rolen 5, Balentien 7, Gomes 9, Miller 2, Bailey 1.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 1:09 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
woww interesting lineup vs billingsley
All right handed Hitters except for Joey Votto….
Kazmir to the Angels is rather shocking on many levels.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 1:39 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
wow…why in the hell did Tampa do that? Does someone have pix of Maddon???
by KellyStephen on Aug 28, 2009 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Whoa! Good for the Halos, I suppose…
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions
smells of cheapness
mmmm….. that billy beane aroma…
by stillnotah8er on Aug 28, 2009 1:53 PM PDT up reply actions
he costs too much for the rays
especially since he isnt what he used to be
It appears the deal is dead. And I was prepared to do a post later tonight on how Billingsley was better than Kazmir too :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 2:24 PM PDT up reply actions
is that post still gonna happen??
cause the kazmir trade is back on..
Sweet! I’ll probably do it tonight or tomorrow! :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions
-∞
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions
whatever happened to this guy?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erubiel_Durazo
looks like he was in scranton 2 years ago… 35 isn’t THAT old….
The #Dodgers look to make it 3 straight: Furcal SS Kemp CF Ethier RF Ramirez LF Blake 3B Loney 1B Martin C Hudson 2B Billingsley P
furcal still leading off
lol… at least kemp is number 2
james is 1.4+ OPS vs the reds in 9 AB
let’s hope he maintains that pace
by stillnotah8er on Aug 28, 2009 2:42 PM PDT up reply actions
So
do you guys think Loney’s psyche was messed up after hearing about the trade for A-Gonz and Bell?
and as far as a PH, isn’t Frank Thomas still a FA?
I think
Frank Thomas has been retired for almost two seasons now?
by Ian Capilouto on Aug 28, 2009 2:49 PM PDT up reply actions
I also
had that thought that Loney might have been affected by those trade rumors. I often wonder how often players look at websites on their lap tops to see what people think.
by Ian Capilouto on Aug 28, 2009 2:59 PM PDT up reply actions
Are you referring to Adrian Gonzalez? There’s no way he leaves San Diego. He’s a local boy still playing under a very reasonable contract for the Padres. His brother plays on the team. Adrian is now the face of the franchise. The money they are saving from sending Peavy to the ChiSox, aside from being used to actually sign all their draft picks for once, will be used to keep Adrian Gonzalez in San diego for a long time to come…
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 2:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Realistic? I’m not sure. I doubt Seattle would move Branyan. A more realistic target might be Jack Cust of the A’s or Mike Jacob’s of the Royals. But with all of the LHP’s the Phillies have, you might want not want to bring in anorther left-handed hitter.
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions
The kind of hitter we would bring in would be as a LH PH, who presumably wouldn’t bat until later in the game, so they would likely not face Lee, Hamels, or Happ, but rather the Phils’ pen, meaning Romero.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions
If we see Lidge, it would most likely mean that Philly was winning in the 9th. I don’t like that kind of luck…
2009-10 LA Kings Hockey: Where Smyt Happens!!
by DodgerBlueBalls on Aug 28, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Tuesday is DFA day
There are no creative DL moves left to get guys like Ohman and Eyechart on the active roster. Gurnick says these guys are coming back, so Repko and maybe Jesus Castillo need to pack their bags.
Mitch Jones
is probably as good as the other options available, no? Or can he really not handle the MLB breaking ball?
Not a real possibility, since they would have to create a spot on the 40-man roster, which is already full and 2 moves will be made to activate Ohman and Mientkiewicz next Tuesday.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions
I was thinking more when rosters expand, they don’t really need a bench bat now if they’re currently in the minors, it’s the playoff deadline that’s more of an issue with getting someone now, no? Or am I misunderstanding how it works?
The problem is that Jones is not on the 40-man roster. The 40-man is now full, and two moves will have to be made already to accommodate Ohman and Mientkiewicz (as Silverwidow suggested, DFA Repko and Castillo). They just don’t have much flexibility beyond that to add Jones, if they would want to anyway.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for explanation, but how is it different from any other bat they would acquire? Sorry for the ignorance!
Presumably, that bat would be better, and worth the cost of roster maneuvering. :)
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Kazmir TRaade
Its back on according to mlbtraderumors.com….
it also ssays deal should be finalized within an hour
he’s likely to pitch out of the bullpen for the remainder of the season in Los Angeles – Rotoworld.
Really? Bullpen?? Don’t they need SP help?
vr, Xei
That trade is so weird from so many angles.
by Eric Stephen on Aug 28, 2009 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions
I didn't see that anywhere (re: Bullpen)
I’m sure he’s going to start. He’ll replace that Bell dude.
Linky
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4897&position=P
Under Kazmir’s fangraphs page, there is a blurb from Rotoworld in the upper RH corner stating this.
vr, Xei
I wouldn't trust Rotoworld when it comes to baseball stuff
Their football analysis is great, though.
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