Without Ethier, Dodgers Seek Perfect Week
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 9:16 AM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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PrintAs the Dodgers look to sweep the Padres for their seventh straight win today, they won't have Andre Ethier in the lineup. They hope his absence is a short one, and he's back in Los Angeles getting his fractured right pinky evaluated. At the very least, for the immediate future Ethier won't be able to do the following:
- Swing a bat
- Portray Dr. Evil
- Give the "hang loose" sign
- Do the classic Magic Johnson and A.C. Green handshake from the Showtime days
- Properly drink tea
Chad Billingsley gets the ball for the Dodgers, making his 15th career start against the Padres. He is 8-4 with a 2.71 ERA in his career against the Padres, including 3-2 with a 2.77 ERA in San Diego. He has allowed more than three runs in a start against San Diego just once, in 2008, when he allowed four runs.
Wade LeBlanc has made four of his 18 career starts against the Dodgers, and has alternated bad and good outings:
| Wade LeBlanc Career Starts Against the Dodgers | |||||||||
| Date | Loc | Score | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | K |
| 9/3/08 | LA | LA 6-4 | 4.0 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 9/9/08 | SD | LA 6-2 | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 9/23/08 | LA | LA 10-1 | 2.2 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 9/4/09 | LA | SD 2-0 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Totals - 6.27 ERA, 1.821 WHIP |
18.2 | 22 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 7 | ||
Blake DeWitt has hit one of his 11 career home runs against LeBlanc.
Before yesterday's game, manager Joe Torre said he planned to give Russell Martin, Casey Blake, and Manny Ramirez the day off today. But that was before Ethier's injury, so
Road Warriors
The Dodgers started this road trip with a 4-11 record away from Dodger Stadium, and stand today with a 9-11 road record, on the road to respectability. In the last decade, the Dodgers have only had eight longer road winning streaks than their current stretch of five wins:
| Longest Dodger Road Winning Streaks 2000-2009 | |
| Year | Streak |
| 2004 | 9 games |
| 2000 | 7 games |
| 2007 | 6 games |
| 2006 | 6 games |
| 2006 | 6 games |
| 2003 | 6 games |
| 2003 | 6 games |
| 2001 | 6 games |
Saving a Life
A great story emerged from the Dodgers' low Single A affiliate in Great Lakes earlier this week. From today's Dodger game notes:
Dodger prospects Rafael Ynoa and Elisaul Pimentel are being praised in Midland, MI for their roles in saving a life earlier this week. The Dominican duo was passengers in a car en route to a doubleheader for the Single-A Great Lakes Loons on Sunday when a motorcyclist in front of them hit a turkey in the road and crashed. Ynoa, Pimentel and two others helped administer first aid until an ambulance arrived. The victim has recently come out of his coma and is starting to recover.
More details from the Midland Daily News:
"He lost control of the motorcycle," Ynoa said in an interview before Friday's Loons' game at Dow Diamond. "It was bad. I was so scared. We thought he was dead. We ran and we helped him."
Ynoa, a Loons' infielder, said the woman who was driving the car that he and Pimentel were riding in was a nurse, and she directed Ynoa and Pimentel on how to help her administer first aid to Whittington until the ambulance arrived. Ynoa knew only the nurse's first name, Nicole. Another woman, Mary Jo Beal, also came to Whittington's aid at the scene of the accident.
Other Notes
- James Loney in May: 17 hits in 50 at-bats, five walks (after four in all of April), six doubles, three home runs, .640 slugging percentage, and 14 RBI in 13 games
- Not that this is a surprise, but today's Dodger game notes list Ramon Ortiz as the starter Wednesday night at home against San Diego
- Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Clayton Kershaw last night became the fifth Dodger since 1900 to have back-to-back starts of seven or more innings giving up three or fewer hits and one run or less. The others: Sandy Koufax (1961), Don Sutton (1972), Orel Hershiser (1984), and Chan Ho Park (2000)
- Matt Kemp and Jamey Carroll are similar players? Chad Moriyama of Memories of Kevin Malone says yes, at least so far this season
- The Dodgers annual Think Cure weekend will take place on Friday and Saturday, June 11 and 12, and include an online auction and continuous programming on both television and radio, all to promote awareness of and raise funds for cancer research.
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 1:05pm
TV: KCAL
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Dodger Lineup
Martin C
Johnson RF
Loney 1B
Kemp CF
Belliard 2B
Anderson LF
Green 3B
Carroll SS
Billingsley P
In case you were wondering, today is Russell Martin’s 17th straight start at catcher. Only 19 longer streaks in LA Dodger history
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions
I listed the streaks of 20 games or more here, including Steve Yeager’s amazing 58 straight and 81 out of 82 in 1975.
Martin himself started 21 straight in 2006.
In addition to that list, there were two streaks of 19 (LoDuca, Scioscia) and two streaks of 18 (both Roseboro)
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:55 AM PDT up reply actions
Nick Green is the 123rd LA Dodger to make a start at 3B
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions
This would be a great line up for a game Ortiz starts
by 68elcamino427 on May 16, 2010 10:30 AM PDT up reply actions
Why?
a) are you still complaining, two days later, after the Dodgers won?
b) would it be better to start a poor offensive lineup with a bad pitcher? Isn’t it logical to be able to offset a poor lineup with a better pitcher?
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:33 AM PDT up reply actions
No Complaints, Ortiz did a great job in his last outing, giving up only two runs in four innings.
However, for Billingsley, it would be nice for him to be pitching behind a line up that promised more run support?
That being said, the Dodgers will probably hit it big today and score a lot of runs.
Hope Billingsley has a great outing today.
by 68elcamino427 on May 16, 2010 12:48 PM PDT up reply actions
Today is the 30th time Martin has batted leadoff while starting at catcher.
Paul LoDuca is the only other LA Dodger to bat leadoff and start at catcher, and he did so 33 times.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions
Correction
Green at 2B, Belliard at 3B
(hat tip to Jon Weisman)
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 12:06 PM PDT up reply actions
Need an answer on Ethier’s status ASAP. Starting to get concerned. Showalter on BBT said “August” as his timetable which I don’t think makes sense.
Showalter doesn’t have any information though. Why would you care what he says?
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions
Showwalter has friends status with Larry Bowa on facebook
by Tripon on May 16, 2010 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
You sound a bit grumpy today. :)
I don’t care what Showalter says. But I don’t know if he’s pulling this stuff out of his ass or if that’s a general timeline for a broken finger.
by silverwidow on May 16, 2010 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions
Underdog brought up Coco Crisp last night. He missed something like a month.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:50 AM PDT up reply actions
If the topic is everyone wearing the same color shirt and socks, or having days planned out to the minute, then I will care what Showalter says. :)
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
Padres lineup
Cabrera SS
Eckstein 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Headley 3B
Torrealba C
Venable RF
Blanks LF
Gwynn CF
LeBlanc P
Gaudin shaved and lost his K pitch
looked awful last night, never liked him as relief pitcher, only a starter.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
It's been fun, Luis
from Dylan Hernandez:
Luis Ayala exercised his out clause; the Dodgers will have to grant him his release if they don’t add him to their 25-man roster by Monday.
The Dodgers will lose Ayala if they don’t add him to the major-league roster by 5 p.m. on Monday
See ya
I’m sure it was just a date in his contract by which to exercise the out clause, but Ayala wins the poor timing award for exercising an out clause:
2 straight blown saves, and gave up runs in last 3 outings.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
So if Andre is out for a month
Does Paul and Reed platoon much like they did with Manny or does GA move more into the picture?
Paul got hit last night, would just be his luck that he also broke something and Hoffman gets the call instead.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Paul got hit in the head during warmups. He was complaining of headaches and that’s why he got pulled. He went to a hospital but checked out OK
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
I don’t think they’ll call up Paul this time since they’ll need a 25 spot for Furcal, Nick Green is already up, they like the composition of the current team as is. Nick Green’s going to get DFA for a pitcher, not for Paul.
I disagree
to a point. All you need to know about what they think of Paul is to look at the distribution of starts during Manny’s DL trip. If he is healthy, and if Ethier has to be placed on the DL, I think he will get the call.
Nick Green has barely played with Furcal gone; He’ll never play with Furcal here. I don’t think they are concerned with losing him.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
No way
if Andre goes on the DL that they don’t bring up an outfielder.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Why do you think they like Green so much?
he has hardly played since he was brought up, he was sent to the minors in the first place. The actions of this management team do not support your premise that Green is thought of highly.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
They wouldn’t have called him up in the first place if they didn’t like him. Opt out or no, they still decided he was valuable enough to be put on the 25 man roster. This team likes depth, and I don’t think they’re going to DFA him unless they’re assured they can resign him and put him back on Triple-A.
That was a decision between Green and Hu, not one between Green and Paul.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions
It was a decision still made. Green’s the backup utility infielder now, not Carroll or Belliard. That’s an important role on a team, and not one the Dodgers will let go for nothing.
He was only the backup because Furcal was on the DL
I’m not following your logic at all.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions
Once up, they’re not going to give him up without a fight. Just look at Heager, they decided to DL him instead of DFAing him.
They have much better depth at middle infield than they do at starting pitcher right now
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
The role is so important that Green has amassed all of 2 AB and 4 innings in the field before today in 17 games.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions
which still puts him 5 starts behind Xavier Paul
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:34 AM PDT up reply actions
They may try a juggling act—wait a couple of days to DL Ethier and call up Paul in hopes that Furcal will be ready to go—but unless Tony Jackson has become GM, I don’t see any way that Green stays.
by Little Blue Bicycle on May 16, 2010 11:30 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree…it might take a couple of days.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions
I can tolerate GA batting 8th or something, but sometimes Joe thinks it’s 2002 and puts him 2nd or 5th.
by silverwidow on May 16, 2010 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
Charlie Haegar
I saw he made a rehab start last night. I forgot how long he can remain in the minors “rehabbing” before we have to make a decision. Isn’t it 30 days?
He was sure able to start quickly
wasn’t he?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:10 AM PDT up reply actions
OK, we need to come up with a bet
If Paul is healthy, and Ethier goes on the DL, I saw Paul gets called up.
What is the bet?
I win, you give me money. You lose, you give me money. :)
Seriously a grilled Dodger Dog at the next TBLA night. I think there should be a modifying as well such as if Furcal is called up and Paul is sent down for him, etc.
Done
I say Paul will be on the team, and Green and Furcal will not be on the team at the same time (barring some other injury of course)
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
That Loons story is strange..
You have these two women giving two ball players a ride to the game, and the players dont even know these girls’ full names..
Does this sound the way I think it sounds…
A lot of times in the lower levels, the young players will live with host families. It may have been a situation where a family friend of the host family gave them a ride to the game.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Come on she was a nurse, they had just scored
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions
And I don't find it strange at all
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions
I hope they have a better career then Galvez did
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:46 AM PDT up reply actions
Thats more wholesome thinking than what I thought...
Sounded to me like they were groupies the players had just picked up the night before. They know their first name’s and their jobs, but nothing else….
Hmmm..
To be fair, the driver of the car thought Ynoa was a pizza delivery man :)
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions
or the pool guy
Knock at door
Man with pool cleaning gear: “I’m hear to clean the pool.”
Woman at door: “But we don’t have a pool.”
Cue brown chicken brown cow music
Carlos Pena 3 for his last 45
Wow, that is some real sucktitude
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
DRays are getting lucky right now..
They are like 2nd in runs scored but only 8th in OPS..
Not sure how they are scoring so many runs with Pena, Navarro, and Upton all sucking
That shouldnt last...
But then again the Angels seemed to always score more runs than they should due to RISP year after year after year.
Zobrist has also been uninspiring
I’m going to guess the pitching has been awesome
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:50 AM PDT up reply actions
Catcher hitting .182
First baseman hitting .180
Center fielder hitting .214
Yet, 2nd in the AL in runs, and best record in MLB!
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Gerry Sands makes Rotowire
Jerry Sands (1B) LA – A 5/16/2010
Sands is batting .486/.568/.838 with three home runs, four RBI and five stolen bases over his last 10 contests for Low-A Great Lakes. Sands has posted incredible numbers to start the 2010 campaign with 13 homers, 30 RBI and eight steals through 36 games, along with a line of .391/.461/.797. The 22 year-old could start getting some pub soon.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Mike Trout - not bad for an 18 year in the same league as Sands
Mike Trout (OF) ANA – A 5/16/2010
Trout is hitting .366/.435/.585 with two home runs, five RBI and six steals over his last 10 contests for Low-A Cedar Rapids. The strikeouts are still a bit high, but his combination of power, speed and bat control makes Trout a standout prospect in the Angels’ system.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Yeah, it was interesting
they drafted two 17 year old outfielders back to back. Our 17 year old was in the same league as Trout last year but he evidently is ticketed for the Pioneer League. I’ve never seen a 18 year tear up the MWL like this.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on May 16, 2010 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions
Just what Halladay needed, another pitch
Roy Halladay (P) PHI 5/16/2010
Halladay has been using a split-fingered change-up this year for the first time and has found success with the pitch, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Halladay learned the pitch from Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee, who had worked on it with Kyle Kendrick. “It’s been outstanding,” Halladay said last week. “It took a while to get in spring training and it’s still coming. There are days when it’s better than others. But it’s been far more effective than anything else I’ve done to this point.” In 2009, Halladay threw his change-up 4.6 percent of the time. This year, he has used the change-up for 13.1 percent of his total pitches. Halladay has thrown the change-up for a strike 60 percent of the time, and 41.3 percent of those strikes have been swings-and-misses. The addition of a reliable change-up has given Halladay a fourth pitch to use, making him even more difficult for hitters to face.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
England win T20 world cricket tournament
Their first ever win in international tournaments of (short-form) cricket, which have been going on for decades, though this particular very short form (“Twenty20”) is still quite new. A very convincing win over Australia, which has been the top team on most forms of cricket for some time, though other countries have won T20 tournaments. They had a very large margin to spare (three “overs” unused out of 20). Great going. And I managed to see most of it (on tiny screens, swicthing servers as needed) online.
DirecTV has a deal with SD Channel 4, so it is available on DTV but not for other EI subscribers.
I agree, it sucks.
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Why are you blaming KCAL and SD Ch 4? It’s not their fault. Blame Extra Innings, or the Dodgers.
Extra Innings seems to depend largely on a deal between Fox, who run all the FSN channels, and ComCast, whoi have a similar sports network. They don’t seem disposed to let Cox, a major cable competitor, who who own few actual channels and no sport network, into this cosy deal. Cox own San Diego Channel 4, which shows ALL Padres games in SD, unlike the arrangement in most cities where FSN or Comcast channels show about 2/3rds and a local channel show the other third.
We picked Aaron Miller and Gould with the draft picks for Lowe. We still need those picks to build a good team to replace free agents.
Aaron Miller and Blake Smith. Gould was our own 2nd round pick.
by silverwidow on May 16, 2010 12:05 PM PDT up reply actions
Sorry ...
I know it’s obnoxious of me, but I just can’t help but laugh at the idea that people (especially out of town fans) think they have an inalienable right to 162 games on TV a year. People just don’t appreciate how good they have it today.
But I know I shouldn’t compare eras.
I’m pretty sure it’s in the Bill of Rights
by Eric Stephen on May 16, 2010 12:01 PM PDT up reply actions
Out of towners actually have it better if they subscribe to MLB.tv...
I can see almost every game.
But those locally probably get blacked out of even the San Diego broadcast if the LA channels arent picking up the game.
I hear ya
But, it just seems like a simple fix. Besides, they offer the product by stating that you can see all out of market games, and they price it accordingly.
by Michael White on May 16, 2010 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions
Might not see a conclusion to our bet, Tripon
from Jon Weisman:
Joe Torre told reporters that Furcal would have another rehab assignment before being activated from the DL
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