Kuroda Eyes Return To Win Column For Dodgers

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:00 PM PDT in Game Previews Comment 24 comments

The Dodgers hope to carry over their ninth inning offensive vitality into tonight's game against the Brewers and their best pitcher.

The Dodgers beat Yovani Gallardo, tonight's starter, the Sunday before the All-Star break, but since then Gallardo has reeled off three straight quality starts, going 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in 20.1 innings. Gallardo currently has the best ERA+, at 134, by a Brewer pitcher 23 or younger, with a minimum of 100 innings.

Hiroki Kuroda aso appeared in that Gallardo start against the Dodgers, although he did not start. It was the first relief appearance of Kuroda's career -- he was available with the upcoming off days in the schedule -- and it didn't go as well as he would have hoped. Kuroda allowed three runs in 1.1 innings on that day. Since the All-Star break, Kuroda has pitched well, and the Dodgers have won all three of his starts, although Kuroda himself doesn't have a win to show for it, despite a respectable 3.71 ERA in 17 innings. Kuroda's last win was July 3 in San Diego.

Kuroda doesn't have enough innings to qualify, but he would rank seventh in the National League by allowing only 1.9 walks per nine innings this season.

Andre Ethier is the first Dodger with back-to-back 20 double, 20 home run seasons since Adrian Beltre from 2002-2004.

Shades of Sixto Lezcano: Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, both just 25 years old, are the two best young hitters in Brewers history, with a career OPS+ of 142 and 136, respectively.

Bill Hall started his first career game in right field Monday night, in place of Corey Hart, now sans appendix. Brewers manager Ken Macha noted the righthanded-hitting Hall will share time with lefties Frank Catalanotto and Jody Gerut until Hart returns, per Anthony Witrado of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

Get your guesses in for "Just A Bit Outside" here.

Game Time: 7:10pm

TV: KCAL

Dodgers Game Notes | Brewers Game Notes

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Haven’t seen the lineups yet, but this not from Adam McCalvy:

Ryan Braun back in #Brewers lineup after tweaking elbow Monday night. Good news for a team that can’t afford any more injuries

I guess he hurt it after the HR!

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

maybe that why they took him out late in the game

instead of taking out bill hall, who should have gotten take out as a defensive replacement

by matthewmafa on Aug 4, 2009 4:37 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was convinced he would find a way to not catch Manny’s ball :)

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brewers lineup

per Anthony Witrado:

2B Lopez
3B Counsell
LF Braun
1B Fielder
CF Cameron
RF Catalanotto
SS Hardy
C Kendall
P Gallardo

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Weird things you see on Twitter: if anyone wants pseudo-meat yet oddly satisfying tacos from Jack-in-the-Box, go here to download a coupon for 2 free ones (good for today only)

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:22 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you get my email?

by jaffa on Aug 4, 2009 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes sir. I have been remiss in sending things out but I will do so to everybody this week.

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dodger lineup

From Josh Rawitch:

Furcal, SS
Ethier, RF
Manny, LF
Blake, 3B
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
Martin, C
Hudson, 2B
Kuroda, P

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Randy Wolf's chat

transcript from today is now up on MLB.com:

Here’s my question and his answer (not really all that earth-shattering, sorry):

craigary: hey randy, do you tutor Clayton Kershaw with pitching advice, does he come to you? And have you learned anything from him too?

Randy Wolf: For a 21-year-old, Clayton is extremely mature and very receptive to learning. Before every game, he goes down to the bullpen to watch the starter warm up to see if he can pick up anything that will help him.

Randy Wolf: We’ve had a lot of conversations about pitching and it’s fun because he’s at such a young part of his career and he has such a great upside.

by underdog on Aug 4, 2009 4:48 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Awesome….Wolf seems like a great dude.

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, nice question.

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks. I wanted to ask

also about all the no-decisions he’s had this year but someone beat me to it. And I realized there’s no way to ask that and make it all that interesting, as that proved.

by underdog on Aug 4, 2009 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You could have went the hard line route with something like “Are you such a selfish bastard that you care about your own statistics?” :)

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 4:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hah hah

I was disappointed in his twitter dis ;-) but liked his Bible answer.

by underdog on Aug 4, 2009 5:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just read that, and he was both open and funny in his answers…very nice.

by Eric Stephen on Aug 4, 2009 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Upset stomach sidelines LA's Hudson

LOS ANGELES — Less than 90 minutes before the Dodgers’ game against the Brewers on Tuesday night, team officials announced that second baseman Orlando Hudson would miss the game because of an upset stomach.

Juan Castro replaced Hudson in the lineup and hit eighth in the order.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090804&content_id=6243480&vkey=news_la&fext=.jsp&c_id=la&partnerId=rss_la

by Tripon on Aug 4, 2009 6:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

# Some smoke in view of mountains from #Dodger Stadium… Brush fire in Eagle Rock (not far from ballpark) … just more bad LA air… #MLB2 minutes ago from web

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#Dodgers 2B Orlando Hudson has been scratched from the lineup (stomach) Juan Castro starting tonight. #MLB42 minutes ago from web

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Dodgers manager Joe Torre: “Cliff Lee makes Phillies the team to beat.”about 2 hours ago from Tweetie

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Torre: Jason Schmidt will be in #dodgers rotation as long as he physically can get job done. He’ll throw 86, 87 MPH but must have control.about 2 hours ago from Tweetie

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Joe Torre :“not concerned about the #Dodgers not getting an ace (Roy Halladay) We have good pitching.” http://twitpic.com/csq49about 2 hours ago from Tweetie

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Its a bad sign when I ahow up before the players… Dodgers not taking BP today…about 2 hours ago from Tweetie