Dodgers Look To Hyperextend Pirates Road Woes
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:00 PM PDT
in Game Previews
54 comments
The Dodgers and Pirates resume their three-game series tonight, and the scales are once again heavily tipped in favor of the home team. The Pirates have not won a series on the road since May 18-21, when they took three of four games in Washington. They have lost an amazing 41 of their past 52 road games, including 14 of their past 15. On the season, the Pirates are 19-53 away from home. The Pirates are threatening to have the worst road record in a season in the last two decades. Both the 2003 Tigers (who lost 119 games) and the 2006 Devil Rays (who lost 101 games) went 20-61 on the road. Of course, both of those teams made the World Series three years later, so Pittsburgh fans might have something to look forward to.
The Dodgers welcome back Randy Wolf tonight, who returns to the mound after missing one start due to a hyper-extended left elbow. Wolf has thrown six straight quality starts, and is 5-0 during that stretch. He also has a streak of 14 straight starts of pitching at least six innings, and has done so in 26 of 30 starts this season.
Zach Duke has really struggled of late, allowing 32 hits and 20 runs (18 earned) in just 13 innings over his last three starts. He has allowed five home runs in those three short starts. Among the 90 MLB pitchers with enough innings to qualify for the ERA title, Duke ranks 87th in strikeouts per nine innings, with 4.31. Duke's 89 strikeouts this season are 14 fewer than Jonathan Broxton. In six career starts against the Dodgers, Duke has never allowed fewer than four runs, and has a 7.53 ERA against them.
Obscure stat of the day: Casey Blake has 10 sacrifice flies this season, the most by any Dodger since Eric Karros had 12 in 2000. This is just the 11th time a Dodger has hit as many as 10 sacrifice flies in a season, headlined by Gil Hodges' club record 19 in 1954.
The Dodgers may have waited until game number 145 this year to play the Pirates, but they won't have to wait long to face them in 2010. Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tells us the Dodgers will be in Pittsburgh to open 2010.
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Be sure to check out Xeifrank's simulation of today's game here.
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 our today's "One, Two, Three Strikes, You're Out," here.
Game Time: 7:10pm
TV: KCAL
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First!
home HR for Loney tonight???
vr, Xei
by Xeifrank on Sep 15, 2009 3:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Second
victory in a row over the Pirates tonight
by LA Taco on Sep 15, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Third
base in the future is a question mark for the Dodgers but who cares as it got us Manny.
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fourth
grand slam by Kemp tonight
by meercatjohn on Sep 15, 2009 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Fifth
game, added to the Dodgers’ divisional lead tonight.
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
6th
innning Loney PH HR, although I am really liking the all road HR Loney i would like him to hit at least 15 all on the road.
by MammothDodger on Sep 15, 2009 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
7th
Straight game in which the Wolfman will allow 3 ER or less.
by PHAT JULIO on Sep 15, 2009 4:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
8th
Dodger to 50 walks: Matt Kemp tonight
Has there ever been a player better than Detlef Schrempf?
by bucknellbruin on Sep 15, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yes, I agree with that.
Tonight in the 3rd inning.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 15, 2009 3:16 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
If my guess is right, do I win a prize?
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 15, 2009 3:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
You will win my undying admiration and respect!
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If that Beard stat doesn’t scream out PVL then I don’t know what does
by pdotmac1 on Sep 15, 2009 3:28 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Lineups
per Chuck Finder of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Pirates’ lineup:
1. McCutchen, CF
2. LaRoche, 3B
3. Jones, RF
4. Doumit, C
5. Milledge, LF
6. Pearce, 1B
7. Cedeno, SS
8. Cruz, 2B
9. Duke, P
Dodgers’ lineup:
1. Furcal, SS
2. Martin, C
3. Ethier, RF
4. Ramirez, LF
5. Kemp, CF
6. Blake, 3B
7. Loretta, 1B
8. Hudson, 2B
9. Wolf, P
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:50 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Loretta?!?!?
Worst offensive player on the team!
by silverwidow on Sep 15, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I was surprised at that one, especially given Loney’s hot streak of late
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Toree trying
to keep the record of most HR all hit on the road alive…
by LA Taco on Sep 15, 2009 3:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And the fact Belliard plays a better 1st base
and seems to be the better hitter of late.
by meercatjohn on Sep 15, 2009 5:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah...
does joe know that belliard can play 1st?
he is a way better option to hit 7th then loretta…
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
In a weird twist, since Belliard has played so much maybe he needs a rest :)
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 6:15 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Torre’s playing the platoon advantage. Just sayin’.
vr, Xei
by Xeifrank on Sep 15, 2009 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Watching Loretta bat is worse than watching Brandt Snedker’s disaster at the BMW Championship.
by PHAT JULIO on Sep 15, 2009 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sonofabitch Torre,
It is like you want to make it just a little bit harder on yourself for fun.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 15, 2009 4:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
“I think I’ve earned the respect of my teammates this year,” he said. “I feel like a member of the team. That’s why being hurt has been so hard for me. I don’t feel like I’m part of the team now. I’m never shagging again.”
by pdotmac1 on Sep 15, 2009 4:13 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Is that from Russell Martin? Did he dump his GF? :)
by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
thanks for the chuckle
made my job a little less soul crushing today :)
by DJDodger on Sep 15, 2009 4:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I am in the same boat as you I think....
The soul crushing job part anyway.
by Ian Capilouto on Sep 15, 2009 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
# DuranLA#Dodgers Joe Torre on Matt Kemp in CF “reminds me of Bernie Williams, able to recover with his foot speed and quickness”7 minutes ago from TweetDeck
# Ben MallerbenmallerTorre: “Clayton Kershaw’s arm is fine. He’s still 10 days at best away from pitching.” #Dodgers #MLB9 minutes ago from Tweetie
by Tripon on Sep 15, 2009 4:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Angels Fuentes and Jepsen to share closing duties for the rest of the year.
Scioscia explained Tuesday that hot rookie setup man Kevin Jepsen will continue to be used, at times, in the ninth inning as well as the eighth, but it sounds as if Scioscia still wants to use struggling closer Brian Fuentes to get the final out.
Just not always the final three.
“I think it’s evolved into — we’re going to look at matchups if they’re available,” Scioscia said. “If there’s some matchups we can take advantage of by rolling [Jepsen] over to the ninth inning, we’ll look at it. If there aren’t we have every confidence that Brian’s going to go out there and get it done.”
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/09/15/angels-closer-fuentes-will-have-to-share-ninth-inning-with-rooki/
by Tripon on Sep 15, 2009 5:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
nl cy young
looks like adam wainright will probably win…
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:17 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Despite their disparity in wins, I still think it’s Lincecum’s to lose, mainly because the media is still infatuated with him.
You wanna know how great baseball is? The greatest basketball player ever left his sport to play baseball.
by Jesse S. on Sep 15, 2009 6:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Or because Lincecum had a better year
His x-FIP of 2.84 is best in the NL (and all of baseball for that matter.)
Wainwrights x-FIP of 3.61 is 7th.
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 6:27 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good point.
Also, Lincecum outranks Wainright in just about every pitching category besides wins.
You wanna know how great baseball is? The greatest basketball player ever left his sport to play baseball.
by Jesse S. on Sep 15, 2009 6:35 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
the people who vote dont look at x fip
so that doesnt matter…
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That doesn’t make it less right. If he wins because he’s a media darling and he also happens to be the best pitcher anyway, then no harm no foul.
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
and right away
wainright gives up a 2 run home run to give up the lead… 2-1 florida in the 6th
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Magglio Ordonez 18 million option vested tonight.
Furcal also has a vesting option for 2012.
by Tripon on Sep 15, 2009 6:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Ouch. That stings for Tiger fans.
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 6:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
and for the dodgers...
what does furcal have to do for his option to vest??
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
interesting...
he will probably be hitting 8th by that time.. so he might have to play all 162 games..
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
He will be on the 60 day DL by then....
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 6:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
If we want to trade Furcal, we have to do it before 2011.
He’d have 10-5 rights by then.
by Tripon on Sep 15, 2009 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
pujols
1st in homers tied 1st in RBI and 2nd in BA…
hanley and his 360 average is the only thing that is keeping him from getting the Triple Crown…!!!!!!!!!
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:44 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
It’s not like he’s particularly close on BA.
Hanley is at .360 while Pujols is at .329.
Plus there’s still plenty of time for Fielder to regain the lead on RBI.
by Michael White on Sep 15, 2009 6:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
??
i know.. im not saying he will win it…. i said hanley is killin him…
but you love to prove everyone wrong tho whatever…
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:50 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is one of Eric’s best caption’s IMO
by pdotmac1 on Sep 15, 2009 6:45 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
adam laroche
2 doubles and 2 home runs tonight…
lets see what his brother can do tonight …. maybe 2 Ks and 2 GIDP…!
by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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