Dodgers Hope Pitching Isn't AWOL in Game Two Against Reds
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 12:04 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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Heading into the second game of the series in Cincinnati, the Dodgers bullpen figures to be stronger starting tonight. Ronald Belisario, who showed up to spring training 35 days late, is expected to be activated from the restricted list before tonight's game against the Reds.
Belisario, who put up a 2.04 ERA and 3.51 FIP in 70 2/3 innings as a rookie last season, has spent most of the last four weeks in extended spring training in Arizona. He spent the first 17 days of the regular season not getting paid while on the restricted list. Major league players are paid by the day over the course of a 183-day regular season, so with Belisario's major league salary at $412,500, his time on the restricted list cost him roughly $38,320.
Hiroki Kuroda will make his third start of the season still in search of his first unintentional walk of the year. Well, maybe he's not in search of that walk, but the point is he hasn't walked anybody while Russell Martin has been in a crouch. This shouldn't come as a surprise, of course, as he has one or fewer unintentional walk in 34 of 53 career starts, including no intentional walks in 20 starts.
If Kuroda can pitch deep into this game -- after pitching 15 innings in the first two games -- perhaps he can help improve on the Dodgers' ERA by inning (per Baseball-Reference.com):
| Dodgers Pitchers By Inning | |||||
| Split | IP | ERA | BB/9 | K/9 | Opp BA/OBP/SLG |
| Innings 1-3 | 39.0 | 3.46 | 3.23 | 11.08 | .264/.331/.399 |
| Innings 4-6 | 39.0 | 6.46 | 5.31 | 6.23 | .284/.378/.452 |
| Innings 7-9 | 35.1 | 6.88 | 6.11 | 7.64 | .237/.358/.443 |
Here are the lineups (thanks to Jamie Ramsey for the Reds' lineup):
| Dodgers | Reds | |||
| SS | Furcal | CF | Stubbs | |
| CF | Kemp |
SS | Cabrera | |
| RF | Ethier | 1B | Votto |
|
| LF | Ramirez | 2B | Phillips | |
| 1B | Loney | 3B | Rolen | |
| 3B | Blake | RF | Bruce | |
| 2B | DeWitt | LF | Gomes | |
| C | Martin | C | Hernandez | |
| P | Kuroda |
P | Harang | |
Other Notes
- You will be hard pressed to find a better breakdown of Chad Billingsley than that by Chad Moriyama of Memories of Kevin Malone.
- Ronnie Belliard has hit .409/.458/.591 with a double and a home run in 24 plate appearances against tonight's Reds' starter Aaron Harang.
- From Jamie Ramsey, the assistant director of media relations for the Reds, the 2010 Reds are the second team since 1900 to post each of its first six wins in their final turn at-bat, joining the 1970 Giants.
- From the Dodger game notes: "On this day in 1890, the Dodgers, also known as the "Bridegrooms," won their first National League game with a 7-6 decision over the Boston Braves."
- Hall-of-Famer Joe Morgan has been hired by the Reds as a special advisor to baseball operations.
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 4:10pm
TV: Prime Ticket
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Reds lineup
from Jamie Ramsey of the Reds:
Dickerson CF
Cabrera SS
Votto 1B
Phillips 2B
Rolen 3B
Bruce RF
Gomes LF
Hernandez C
Harang P
Dodgers lineup (so much for my Belliard stat)
Furcal SS
Kemp CF
Ethier RF
Ramirez LF
Loney 1B
Blake 3B
DeWitt 2B
Martin C
Kuroda P
Alex Gordon hits his first
to put the Royals up 4-3 in the 10th. Soria in to close it.
This just in: the Royals have put out a press release saying Granick has been traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for Ben Rothlisberger.
“We thought, is there any reason not to do this? And if there wasn’t, we just might. So we did!”
Rothlisberger will take Granick’s turn in the rotation and is expected to pitch on Monday night in Kansas City against Seatttle.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
And Soria closes it, making a winner of Robinson Tejeda.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I just finished reading Simmons mock draft.
Did a spit take when I read this. My keyboard hates you sir.
I wish FJM was still around to see the final straw fall on the back of the Reds.
by Little Blue Bicycle on Apr 21, 2010 12:23 PM PDT reply actions
“Okay, who’s read Billy Beane’s book? You like Moneyball? You’re all fired.”
by Little Blue Bicycle on Apr 21, 2010 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Don't get too excited people
He’s not leaving his day job at ESPN.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports was in Cincy yesterday, and has a story up on Billingsley:
If the Dodgers can’t fix Billingsley, the ramifications will be felt for years to come. This is a former first-round pick who had 16 victories – and a postseason win over the Cubs – in 2008. He was 24 at the time. By now, he was supposed to be an ace on the order of Chris Carpenter or Dan Haren.
But the opposite is happening.
When I asked Honeycutt to describe the main difference between the Billingsley of last April, May and June and the Billingsley of today, he paused for a few moments before answering.
"Things may go (badly) for a little while – an inning, or a couple batters – but he’s always the type that would battle through somehow," he said. "That’s what I want to see."
I have to kinda agree with Honeycutt here. I don’t have any numbers to back this up, but I remember Bills of 2008-2009 getting into trouble, battling hard and minimizing the damage. He seemed to be very good at working through his trouble spots, he seems totally different right now almost to the point where he falls apart completely at the first sign of trouble.
This is the part that made me react
Torre said his starter "threw a lot of balls in the middle of the plate." But Billingsley disagreed, saying he didn’t believe pitch location was a problem.
Hmm. I’m going to side with the manager on this one.
I’m going to side with the pitcher on this one. He’s the guy that is looking right into the plate when the pitch gets there. I assume Torre is making post-game comments based on dugout observations, and he and/or the coaches haven’t watched tape yet. (Of course maybe Torre is just echoing what Russell Martin told him.)
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
If anything, it looked like his fastball had no movement, and the hitters seemed to know when it was coming.
Is there anything different about his delivery based on pitch type?
by robotmadeofnails on Apr 21, 2010 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions
I think the article over at Memories of Kevin Malone is really compelling
I wonder if you would find the same mechanical flaw every time Chad implodes or if it is there all the time. To me, that would be the difference in the mental vs. the Physical.
I’ve seen a 30 year old Josh Beckett get whacked more than once in the past year…he of the four-year, $68 million contract extension…
We gotta do a better job coaching/managing this 25 year old kid…seems to me we need to keep his spirits up and commit to him better…Torre…more carrot and less stick…“Shake it off kid…we’ll get ’em next time” and not "Manager Joe Torre said Billingsley appears to have issues with his confidence. Pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said Billingsley might be thinking too much. Or that his pitch sequence might be too predictable. Or that he might be pitching too much like a control pitcher when he should be pitching like a power pitcher.
Billingsley disagreed with Torre’s assertion that his confidence has taken a hit.’ LAT
maybe yips near Defiance…whatever. The cost of experienced pitching is so high and that means we gotta focus on Billz. Kid gloves. We need him. Its bad enough Torre shit on him last year.
I just don’t see how a manager senses a lack of confidence and instead of building the kid’s confidence, he spotlights the lack thereof.
As Kensai said
it’s not like LAD has somebody to replace him with…..
by Michael White on Apr 21, 2010 1:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Who would have guessed that 2 1/2 weeks into the season
Zambrano goes to the pen and Silva and Gorzelanny stay in the rotation with 0.69 and 1.93 ERAs, respectively.
Zambrano still has a 12.1 K/9 though he is getting knocked around. You’d think they’d let the vet work it out – only 4 starts so far.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Massive payroll and massive expectations. Not surprised at all.
The Cubs are screwed next year with something like 100MM being spent on less than 10 players.
The Cubs are an excellent example to all of those claiming that the Dodgers biggest problem is lack of spending. In some ways, I’m glad Frank hasn’t given Ned a blank check.
The benefits of owning your own network :)
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions
This has to blow up in the Cubs face
Zambrano isn’t always good, but when he isn’t at least he pitches a lot of innings. This move will actually tax their bullpen more as Lilly gets stretched out (I assume he needs that) and when Silva and Gorzelanny inevitably begin to suck soon and don’t last long in ballgames.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
And everyone thought moving Dempster to the bullpen was dumb (which it was), so you can only imagine how this move looks.
Heyman was reporting it.
So I guess inuendo.
Or In-Your-End-O
by Tripon on Apr 21, 2010 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
you can never go wrong with a The Todd reference.
by K3vo on Apr 21, 2010 2:29 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Heh
Cubs pitching staff = full of scrubs
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 2:34 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I meant this year. Heyman suggested it today. Dempster is good enough to where he should stay in the rotation.
I just think it is big jump
from Heyman to if the Cubs actually considered it. You called the Cubs dumb for considering it. That would be like us calling Ned stupid for considering using Ramon to replace Chad based on Heyman saying such a thing.
Technically
he didn’t call the Cubs anything. He only called “moving Dempster to the bullpen” dumb.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
If the Cubs would consider it I think it’s the wrong move for sure. And now they have gone one step further and done it with their top (but struggling) pitcher…the 101 years must feel like a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time.
Ha Ha Ha - Brave give McLouth the silent treatment joke after a HR
a WALK-OFF home run! They even cleared the dugout. Outstanding.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
That's great
look at the shit-eating grin on hudson’s face. Awesome — and congrats for pulling it off.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 2:03 PM PDT up reply actions
that sounds fantastic…gotta go find the video. I’m in Atlanta (well, Alpharetta) at the moment but there was no way to go to Turner Field. Bummed.
by KellyStephen on Apr 21, 2010 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions
I got an error earlier, but the video came up on braves.mlb.com.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Wakefield pitching
Martinez catching, I could steal against that combo. They might turn on Theo but it won’t be because of the stolen bases.
not when Wakefield is moved to the bull-pen
once Dice-k returns
by SeanMillerSavior on Apr 21, 2010 2:18 PM PDT up reply actions
Gave up 9 steals
and won, 7-6.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 2:26 PM PDT up reply actions
I've also heard
that us old guys don’t take losing seriously enough either.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
My roto peeps
aren’t overly concerned and have suggested going after a disgruntled owner. I just offered Eric, Carl Pavano:)
I got offered (in a keeper league) Billingsley and Hunter Pence for Jason Bay and Brett Anderson. Even if Bills wasn’t getting smashed right now I most likely wouldn’t have done that.
Yeah, I’m not big on Bay, in fact I said I wanted to trade him and Lind (my outfield is stacked and completely full right now) because someone offered me Markakis and Figgins for Ryan Zimmerman which I took because I’m really big on Markakis and don’t think Zimmerman will repeat his 2009, at least to that extent.
Now I’ve got no spot for Markakis (or Carlos Gonzalez if i bench him for Markakis), so I want to trade Bay for pitching, as well as Adam Lind who’s just rotting on my bench.
Not that this means much
but tonight’s batting order has played 5 previous games in this order, and scored 38 runs (7.6 runs/gm)
I would guess that Belisario’s first appearance will not be in the 8th inning of a close game, but Torre and Company could easily fool me. I hope the Dodgers post another blow-out victory and Belisario can make his season debut in a low-stress situation.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I would not worry too much. He is probably too stupid to realize how big a situation may or may not be.
I fear
that after pining for him all spring, he will come in and either suck or quickly go on the DL.
There's also the possibility
that, as a middle reliever, he will be good one year (last year) and bad the next (this year) for no obvious reason.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 3:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Cory Wade and (it’s looking like) Ramon Troncoso agree.
by Michael White on Apr 21, 2010 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions
With all of the Dodgers' bullpen success, I have to keep reminding myself...
if these pitchers were good, they’d be starters.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 3:29 PM PDT up reply actions
If Chad Billingsley is discarded like the media desires, here is your 2011 Dodger rotation, under contract/control:
Clayton Kershaw
Charlie Haeger
Err
Um
Uh
Every time I think about next year
I break out in hives.
On the other hand, maybe I can approach a whole season like a Losers Dividend season. Baseball for its own sake!
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Gary Newman hangs his head in disbelief.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 3:26 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
Numan!
Spelled like “human”, which may be ironic given the robotic nature of his music.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Ha!
I checked Google just to be sure, only I did a premature search. I typed “Gary Newman cars” just to see if it auto-filled. Since Google did auto-fill with many options, I was comfortable with my choice of spelling. For shame.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 21, 2010 3:32 PM PDT up reply actions
In that photo particularly, he reminds me a little bit of this guy.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Refresh and the color will reveal itself
That is why I have two logins so I can get these babies green
I believe others it did not rec it
because that damn song is probably now playing in their brain and they rightfully can blame Eric for reminding them how they almost went insane once upon a time
No, he shouldn't.
He is a backup outfielder.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 3:43 PM PDT up reply actions
So who internally should take his spot? I’m sure the quick answer is a free agent, but if there’s no one good or the only good ones are asking for great player’s money there’s no reason to go after them.
Well,
this is why I’m so bearish on 2011. The Dodgers’ best hitter plays LF and there is no viable replacement, either by free agency or in house.
Maybe you’re right that “Paul should be considered,” but he will be a below-average LF. Maybe that’s unavoidable. I really hope I’m wrong about next year.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on Apr 21, 2010 4:00 PM PDT up reply actions
I was just watching “Known Universe” on National Geographic and who do I see, none other than James Loney playing catch with a scientist at Dodger Stadium.
I balance baseball blogging and rocket science, sort of. That’s a helluva lot less impressive though, and even less than it sounds.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
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