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Dodgers Look To Hyperextend Pirates Road Woes

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.

**********

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

Baseball Reference Preview

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First!

home HR for Loney tonight???
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Sep 15, 2009 3:08 PM PDT reply actions  

Second

victory in a row over the Pirates tonight

by LA Taco on Sep 15, 2009 3:18 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

Fourth

grand slam by Kemp tonight

by meercatjohn on Sep 15, 2009 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions  

Fifth

game, added to the Dodgers’ divisional lead tonight.

by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

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  

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  

Ninth

The inning that Big Jon will close out the game tonight.

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 6:00 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

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  

Loretta?!?!?

Worst offensive player on the team!

by silverwidow on Sep 15, 2009 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

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  

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  

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  

Torre’s playing the platoon advantage. Just sayin’.
vr, Xei

by Xeifrank on Sep 15, 2009 4:31 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

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  

“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.”

LInk

by pdotmac1 on Sep 15, 2009 4:13 PM PDT reply actions  

Is that from Russell Martin? Did he dump his GF? :)

by Eric Stephen on Sep 15, 2009 4:18 PM PDT up reply actions  

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  

# 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  

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  

nl cy young

looks like adam wainright will probably win…

by matthewmafa on Sep 15, 2009 6:17 PM PDT reply actions  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

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  

??

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  

This is one of Eric’s best caption’s IMO

by pdotmac1 on Sep 15, 2009 6:45 PM PDT reply actions  

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  

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2012 Dodgers Payroll

Italics denote estimates
Pos No Player 2012 Salary
C 17 Ellis $500,000 team control
1B 7 Loney $6,375,000
2B 14 Ellis $2,500,000
3B 5 Uribe $8,000,000
SS 9 Gordon $485,000 team control
LF 21 Rivera $4,000,000
CF 27 Kemp $10,000,000
RF 16 Ethier $10,950,000

IF/OF 6 Hairston $2,250,000
OF 10 Gwynn $850,000
2B/3B 3 Kennedy $800,000
C 18 Treanor $850,000
IF 12 Sellers $485,000 team control

SP 22 Kershaw $6,000,000
SP 58 Billingsley $9,000,000
SP 29 Lilly $12,000,000
SP 37 Capuano $3,000,000
SP 44
Harang $3,000,000

CL 54 Guerra $485,000 team control
RHP 74
Jansen $500,000 team control
RHP 55 Guerrier $4,750,000
RHP Coffey $1,000,000
RHP 66 MacDougal $650,000
LHP 57 Elbert $485,000 team control
RHP 36
Hawksworth $500,000 team control

TJ 41 De La Rosa $485,000 team control



Manny $8,087,432 deferred


Andruw $3,375,000 deferred


Pierre $3,050,000 deferred
Furcal $3,000,000 deferred
Kuroda $2,000,000 deferred
Garland $1,500,000 option buyout
Blake $1,250,000 option buyout

Totals
$112,162,432

For more detailed information, click here.

Players on 40-man roster used as roster
fillers until moves are made.

Current 40-man roster count: 40
(not including Belisario)

2012 Non-Roster Invitees

No Player Age*
63 Jose Ascanio rhp
27
61 Alberto Castillo lhp
36
60 Matt Chico lhp
29
35 John Grabow lhp
33
59 Angel Guzman rhp
30
47 Wil Ledezma lhp
31
72 Shane Lindsay rhp
27
62 Fernando Nieve rhp 29
73 Scott Rice lhp 30
70 Will Savage rhp
27
71 Ryan Tucker rhp
25

30 Josh Bard c 34
82 Griff Erickson c 24
81 Matt Wallachc 26
67 Jeff Baisley 3b/1b 29
62 Luis Cruz ss/2b 28
33 Josh Fields 3b 29
64 Lance Zawadzki if 27
56 Cory Sullivan of 32

*Age on June 30, 2012

NRI count: 19

For more info, click here.


Manager

Eric___ned___reporters_2011_trade_deadline_small Eric Stephen

Editors

100_1427_small Phil Gurnee

Dgy_small David Young

Hanauma_bay_small Chad Moriyama

2501_small Michael White

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