Dodgers Go For Six
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 2:15 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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PrintThe Dodgers look for their sixth straight win tonight, and what better way to do it than against a divisional opponent. The Dodgers are 10-3 against the National League West this season, and own the best intra-divisional winning percentage in baseball.
Clayton Kershaw gets the start for the Dodgers, fresh off arguably the best start of his career (he did have the highest game score of his career Sunday). Kershaw has thrown four quality starts in his last five starts. Adrian Gonzalez has just two hits in 16 at-bats off the southpaw, and is hitting .125/.263/.188 against Kershaw.
Kevin Correia gets the start for the Padres, one week after his brother died in a hiking accident in Santa Barbara. Since joining the Padres last season, Correia has better peripheral numbers away from Petco Park:
| Kevin Correia as a Padre, 2009-2010 | |||||||||
| Split | G | W-L | IP/start | HR/9 | BB/9 | K/9 | ERA | FIP* | WHIP |
| Home | 21 | 6-7 | 5.95 | 0.79 | 3.46 | 6.12 | 3.53 | 4.11 | 1.232 |
| Away | 18 | 10-6 | 5.94 | 0.84 | 2.36 | 7.32 | 4.37 | 3.57 | 1.355 |
| *FIP is estimated | |||||||||
Legends Behind the Mic
On Thursday, Jay Posner of the San Diego Union-Tribune wrote about the two legendary announcers calling this weekend series, Vin Scully and Dick Enberg, who joined the Padres this season:
And if anyone could attest to that, it was Enberg, who spent many an afternoon between 1969 and 1978 driving to night games at Anaheim Stadium, listening to a Dodgers road game.
"So in a way I was going to school listening to how well he did a game," Enberg said. "It’s very easy when you’re young to try to copy, so the challenge for me was to be myself and yet learn from how well he reported the game, and yet not be him. And that was not easy. When you listen, Al Michaels has a little bit of Scully in him, and I probably in some way or another do, and we all have Red Barber in us because Barber was his mentor."
12 Years Later, It Still Sucks
Just hours after Frank Sinatra died, the news broke, slowly -- over my Earthlink dial-up modem -- that the Dodgers were trading the greatest hitting catcher of all-time to the Marlins. The trade became official on May 15, 1998: Mike Piazza and Todd Zeile to Florida for Gary Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Charles Johnson, Jim Eisenreich, and Manuel Barrios. It was the defining moment of the Fox ownership, a baseball deal not made by baseball people. From Jason Reid of the LA Times:
The trade was brokered by team President Bob Graziano, who had been a longtime aide to former Dodger owner Peter O'Malley. Cut out of the transaction, sources said, were veteran Dodger policymakers Fred Claire, Tom Lasorda and O'Malley. Chase Carey, chairman and chief executive of Fox Television, also played an active role in the early stages of the deal and made Graziano his point man to close the transaction.
The deal violated two of my Rules to Live By®: (1) Don't let television executives make baseball transactions, and (2) Don't trade Hall-of-Famers. Twelve years later, Piazza wants to go into the Hall as a Met, and Dodger fans are left to wonder, what if?
Notes
- Dodger batters have drawn 136 walks this season, and are on pace for 629 walks on the season. The Dodgers last season had 607 walks, the fourth highest franchise total since moving to Los Angeles.
- Dodger pitchers have issued 147 walks this season, and are on pace for 680 walks on the season, which would be the highest total in the 127-year history of the franchise. The 1946 club issued 671 walks (in 156 games).
- Through the first four games of the road trip, Dodger relievers have faced 50 batters. They have allowed five singles, a double, and five walks, while striking out 15. Opposing batters are hitting .136/.220/.159 against the bullpen this week.
- Andre Ethier has eight hits in 15 at-bat against Kevin Correia, including two doubles and a triple, and is hitting .533/.611/.800 against him in his career
- On the other end of the spectrum, Russell Martin has just one hit in 14 at-bats against Correia, hitting .071/.188/.071
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 5:35pm
TV: KCAL
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Dodgers lineup
Martin C
Kemp CF
Ethier RF
Ramirez LF
Loney 1B
Blake 3B
DeWitt 2B
Carroll SS
Kershaw P
Padres lineup
S. Hairston CF
Eckstein 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Headley 3B
Torrealba C
Blanks LF
Salazar RF
J. Hairston SS
Correia P
18th time this season
the Hairston brothers have been in the same lineup. Padres are 12-5 in the previous 17
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 2:20 PM PDT up reply actions
Reliever Adam Russell is the man getting sent down to make room for Correia, who is coming off the bereavement list.
I would expect him to get tomorrow off, day game after a night game.
I did think he swung the bat well last night, hit a couple of balls hard.
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions
He’s going to get tomorrow off (at least that was the plan per Torre a couple days ago…that was when he thought Furcal would be back last night)
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 2:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Good 'ol Jim Bowden
just sent out this tweet:
Joining us now Dodgers closer James Broxton Fox Sports Radio XM 142
I was moving to southern California from NY by car when Piazza was traded
I can only hope we don’t have a similar situation X 3 or 4 in a year or two, what with the ownership situation and all. Best not to think about it, and just enjoy what we have now.
12 years ago I was 8 years old
and found out the news of the Piazza trade in a barber shop with my dad. We were going to a game 2 or 3 days later, and Piazza was my favorite player ever. I remember crying and asking why he was leaving…I really fucking hate Fox.
I was i high school
It was like a month before graduation for me. The girl I was dating was in LOVE with Mike Piazza….had posters all over her wall…and was traded 2 days before her b-day. I’ll always remember that day when she cried like crazy. Lol, she’s almost a bigger baseball fan than I am.
There is nothing that can be done that would equal the Piazza trade today for us, but I think the closest thing would be to trade Ethier. I severely hope our owner and GM have learned the lessons from the past and will not make the same dumbass mistakes. I can’t take another trade like that, especially now being so into the team.
kershaw, kemp and ethier
trading any would cause riots
Geovany Soto
today was 1 for 3 with a walk. His OBP is up to .4609
Carlos Ruiz is out again today. His OBP is .472 but he falls short of the required PA. He has 106 PA, and after today the minimum required PA is 109 (35 games X 3.1 = 108.5, rounded up). Giving him three outs to meet the PA minimum, his OBP would be .4587, still ahead of Ethier’s .4571
Fun with steals
as Michael Bourn steals his 3rd base of the day off Lincecum…
Ryan Braun is 8 for 8 in SB attempts this season.
There are two people better in the NL this season, and both are Padres. Will Venable and Chase Headley are both 9 for 9 in steals this year.
Lincecum walked 5 in 8 innings, but the Astros were only able to score once off him. It’s 2-1 Giants in the bottom of the 8th. Brian Wilson is our only hope.
Leadoff walk.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:30 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s now up to former Rockie Cory Sullivan
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Still alive!
Rollinger has some trouble with the grounder at 3B.
Runners on 1st & 2nd, 2 outs, for Michael Bourne
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:36 PM PDT up reply actions
loaded...
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Matsui can't hit 98
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions
How many pitches has he seen?
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:45 PM PDT up reply actions
I like when EK said
Matsui can’t hit 78 right now
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:40 PM PDT up reply actions
However, maybe he doesn't have to
If he can foul off enough strikes, he can walk…
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Is MCC imploding?
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Yep!
And fouled it!
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:46 PM PDT up reply actions
Wilson hangs on.
The Ultimate Ned's Kind of Guy
by Humma Kavula on May 15, 2010 3:47 PM PDT up reply actions
Broxton won the pool, apparently:
A lit bit of celebrating in the Dodgers clubhouse by Jonathan Broxton since he had Lookin at Lucky winning the Preakness.
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:51 PM PDT up reply actions
5th time this year someone has thrown 120+ pitches in fewer than 6 innings.
Verlander – 125/5
Livan – 123/5.1
Verlander – 121/5.2
Zambrano – 121/5
Wow on Verlander twice
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:44 PM PDT up reply actions
I find myself anticipating Mark T.R. Donahue posting “You suck, Jim Leyland!”
by StolenMonkey86 on May 15, 2010 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Nice callback! I wonder what he is doing these days.
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions
I just noticed Blake DeWitt has an OBP of .370.
2nd only to Ethier for Dodgers with at least 100 PA this year.
This is FOX. Viewer discretion is advised. Bitch.
by StolenMonkey86 on May 15, 2010 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Trying to exercise standards and practices around a sporting event
Is like putting lipstick on a pig.
Look at that, he hit the f*cking bull! Guy gets a free steak!
by Josie Becker on May 15, 2010 3:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, but you should have seen what that pig was wearing!
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 3:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Just for you
Look at that, he hit the f*cking bull! Guy gets a free steak!
by Josie Becker on May 15, 2010 3:53 PM PDT up reply actions
From the Yahoo sidebar
An ‘unthinkable’ question: Should the Royals trade Zack Greinke?
What else can be said other than “They might do it.”
by silverwidow on May 15, 2010 3:48 PM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Mike was my favorite Dodger growing up
Going to games I always remembered him as the answer to Barry Bonds. He was the guy the fans cheered as much as they booed Bonds.
Look at that, he hit the f*cking bull! Guy gets a free steak!
Charlie Haeger
will make a rehab start tonight with the 66ers. Game at 7:05, and they are giving away Dodger fleece blankets.
You can listen here.
So do you think he’ll get a shot at the bullpen or DFA’d?
by CarolinaDodger on May 15, 2010 4:51 PM PDT up reply actions
depends on the performance of Ortiz and/or the health of the rest of the staff.
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 4:53 PM PDT up reply actions
My son was almost 5 when this trade happened. At that age he lived and breathed baseball and, with me as his dad, the Dodgers. Piazza was his favorite player. My daughter had a softball game that evening and I came straight from work to the park. My son ran up to me and the first words out of his mouth were, “why did the Dodgers make that decision?” (He was so young that the word “decision” came out “desizzsizon” or something to that effect.) Broke my heart. Especially when the only real answer was that the Dodgers had their heads so far up their ass that shit had taken the place of brains and, since he wasn’t quite 5, I didn’t think he would truly understand that metaphor.
To this day, the worst trade in Dodger history.
Eric’s right, you do not trade a Hall of Famer.
The only reason I think it wasn't the worst trade is because we got Sheffield out of it
If not for Sheff it would have been worse than Pedro for Delino.
The Pedro/Delino trade was all Jody Reed’s fault. Had he signed we would have never had to trade for DeDipshit.
by KellyStephen on May 15, 2010 4:12 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah I remember
I believe the Dodgers offered 3 years for 7 mill and he ended up taking a 500,000 offer from Milwaukee (?) and then being out of baseball a year later. Screw Jody Reed.
3 years, $7.8 million
If you haven’t read this wonderful recap by Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts (from 2003), you should. Great stuff in there.
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 4:26 PM PDT up reply actions
I was more torn up
by the Dickerson trade. I remember thinking wtf. My love for football died a little that day.
The Rams reconciled with the Colts years later with the Marshall Faulk trade. :)
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 4:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Seriously and greinke is 1-4
Maybe we can give DeJesus to get this underacheiver
by SeanMillerSavior on May 15, 2010 4:35 PM PDT up reply actions
He knows
Just replaying a joke from the offseason
by SeanMillerSavior on May 15, 2010 4:49 PM PDT up reply actions
They probably asked him to shoot the photo :)
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 4:50 PM PDT up reply actions
It’s good to see that even if Kemp hasn’t been getting a lot of RBIs recently, he’s been scoring a lot of runs still.
Plus
after his HR last night he is hitting .292/.393/.438 in May. Not so bad at all.
12 runs scored and 8 walks in 12 games this month
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 4:57 PM PDT up reply actions
Tim Brown thinks the Dodgers should trade Manny for Cliff Lee
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/player/mlb/Y_Sports_MLB/19748992;ylt=Arhv4n477tFYCNqnbBdmRQRvLYF#mlb/Y_Sports_MLB/19748992
This is a trade both teams should do to try and save their seasons? Forgive me if I’m out of line here, but the Mariners are near the bottom of the AL, and the Dodgers have the 7th best record in the NL at this point, and are on the rise.
It’s not that I don’t like the trade, because that would be really great to trade Manny for Lee in a Vacuum. The problem is that besides Ethier and Kemp, there are no other real sluggers on this team. With Manny here, there are at least 3 guys who other pitchers will fear, and give the Dodgers a really great middle of the lineup. The pitching can definitely afford to get better, but if Kershaw keeps on pitching quality starts, Billingsley keeps turning it around, Kuroda just pitches like he always does, and we get a little luck from the 4 and 5 spots, I think this team will be just fine.
That being said, I don’t think we will keep getting lucky from the 4 and 5 spots, so a trade does have to be made, but not at the expense of ANYONE from the starting roster or starting pitching staff (minus the spot starter types, but they would just be sent down or moved to the bullpen). I’ve still got a hard-on for trading for Oswalt right now :)
In the 16 games
that Manny, Kemp, and Ethier have started together, the Dodgers have averaged 6.67 runs per game.
They are 9-7 in those games.
hurt finger
the way he described it, sounded like it could potentially be bad
by Brandon Lennox on May 15, 2010 5:08 PM PDT up reply actions
Garret Anderson is starting in RF tonight. Ethier was scratched after hurting his finger in BP
by Eric Stephen on May 15, 2010 5:09 PM PDT up reply actions
oh you're kidding me!
it seemed like the baseball gods were trying to get him for a while- first with the ankle twisting, then all those foul balls of his foot.
dammit
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