Dodgers Face Old Nemesis in Francis
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 3:34 PM PDT
in Dodgers Game Previews
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PrintIt has been so long since the Dodgers faced Jeff Francis that the last time he toed the rubber against Los Angeles the Rockies had won three straight series against the Dodgers. That was a long time ago, on September 12, 2008. The Dodgers won that night, ended up winning the series, and have won every series with Colorado since, eight in all.
Francis underwent shoulder surgery and missed all of last season, but has pitched well in his two starts since coming back this season. He has thrown two quality starts, and after allowing a run in his first inning back, he hasn't given up a run in his last 12 1/3 innings. In his career against the Dodgers, Francis has been a quality start machine, with 12 in 14 starts. Francis is 5-3 with a 2.73 ERA against them, and has averaged 6.36 innings per start.
Perhaps the Dodgers should take advice on how to deal with Francis from the master:
Meanwhile, for the Dodgers, Carlos Monasterios shakes the rust off his arm to make his second big league start. He last pitched on May 19, pitching three innings of scoreless relief against the Padres. He had seven days of rest between outings before that start, and he will pitch tonight on eight days rest.
Heat Check
Each team has an infielder who has been scorching hot over the last 10 games:
| Player | PA | 2B | HR | Runs | RBI | BA/OBP/SLG | OPS |
| Troy Tulowitzki | 43 | 2 | 5 | 10 | 9 | .368/.442/.816 | 1.258 |
| Casey Blake | 41 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 8 | .421/.463/.789 | 1.253 |
Just For Fun
Here's a look at the players from the trade with the White Sox this past winter, using Wins Above Replacement metrics from Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus.
| Player | Team | WAR | WARP |
| John Ely | LA | 1.6 | 0.9 |
| Jon Link | LA | 0.0 | (0.4) |
| LA Totals | 1.6 | 0.5 | |
|
|
|||
| Juan Pierre |
CWS | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Notes
- Andre Ethier will play two games in Memphis with Triple A Albuquerque, tonight and tomorrow, on a rehabilitation assignment. He will join the Dodgers Monday in Los Angeles, and could be activated
- Scott Elbert is in Colorado (as first reported by commenter RxApple, and confirmed by Dylan Hernandez and Ken Gurnick). Nick Green has been designated for assignment to make room for Elbert
- At 13-4, the Dodgers have the best intra-divisional record in baseball
- The Dodgers have won 19 of their last 25 games against the Rockies, including winning nine of the last 12 in Coors Field
- New reliever Justin Miller is number 45 with the Dodgers
- Carson Cistulli of Fangraphs is looking forward to the Sunday matchup of the series, specifically watching Clayton Kershaw throw his fastball
- The Rockies are 14-7 at Coors Field this season, including six straight home wins. They have won five straight games overall
Lineups
| Dodgers | Rockies | |||
| SS | Furcal |
CF | Gonzalez |
|
| C | Martin | LF |
Smith | |
| LF | Manny |
1B | Helton |
|
| CF | Kemp | SS | Tulowitzki |
|
| 3B | Blake | RF | Hawpe |
|
| 1B | Belliard |
C | Olivo | |
| RF | Johnson | 3B | Stewart | |
| 2B | Carroll |
2B | Barmes | |
| P | Monasterios |
P | Francis |
|
Xeifrank's simulation of today's game is here.
Game Time: 6:10pm
TV: KCAL
83 comments
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Comments
I didn't expect for the Dodgers infielder that was on fire
to be Beard. But YEAHHHHH BEARD!!
They say to never hit a man with a closed fist. But it is, on occasion, hilarious.
I nailed that lineup today. Won’t be with you tonight. My services are required at the Big A. Keep us in it Monk!
by Alex41592 on May 28, 2010 3:39 PM PDT via mobile reply actions
So who's going down?
Obviously should be Green but I bet X Paul misplayed that ball all the way to AAA.
Fight the power! Votes for Ethier, none for Phillies.
by Little Blue Bicycle on May 28, 2010 3:48 PM PDT reply actions
I can't see that happening here in Colorado
That is a huge OF. That can’t go in there with Kemp, Johnson, Manny and GA as the only OFs. With a Paul/Johnson platoon in RF until Ethier returns, they need to other member of that duo to be Manny’s caddy. GA isn’t much of an upgrade over Manny in LF.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
My guess is that Paul will stick around for the weekend til Ethier is activated
beginning of next week. They may want some outfield depth to continue and Manny’s looked bad on defense out there. Green would still be my guess. Or maybe Ramon Ortiz was so bad they can DFA him twice!
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
by underdog on May 28, 2010 3:58 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Ramon Ortiz was so bad they can DFA him twice
Brilliant…
and on the 93rd postseason of the National Hockey League, the Slovakian-hockeygod Zeus commanded from high atop Mount Figueroa..."RELEASE THE MEAT TRAIN!" And it was good.
by DodgerBlueBalls on May 28, 2010 4:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Dodgers lineup – RHB heavy
Furcal SS
Martin C
Ramirez LF
Kemp CF
Blake 3B
Belliard 1B
Johnson RF
Carroll 2B
Monasterios P
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 3:18 PM PDT reply actions
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Per "All Things Rockies"
1. Carlos Gonzalez, CF
2. Seth Smith, LF
3. Todd Helton, 1B, (Helton note: .236 at Coors Field, .299 on the road)
4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
5. Brad Hawpe, RF
6. Miguel Olivo, C
7. Ian Stewart, 3B
8. Clint Barmes, 2B
9. Jeff Francis
At some point today
we will surpass 264, 212 Page Views in May giving TBLA the largest viewing month in it’s history. The current largest Month was October of 2009. We are currently at 263,017.
Whoever becomes the 264,213 page view, will see their screen flicker and go a dark blue for about 10 seconds.
Thank You
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
do refreshes count
I could give you a few hundred in the last half hour of work today!
seriously I really appreciate the work you eric mike and dave do here.
by MammothDodger on May 28, 2010 4:29 PM PDT up reply actions
Take a bow, guys
The thanks should go to Phil, Eric, Dave & Michael. You guys do such an outstanding job here! TBLA has come a loooong way in the past two years!
and on the 93rd postseason of the National Hockey League, the Slovakian-hockeygod Zeus commanded from high atop Mount Figueroa..."RELEASE THE MEAT TRAIN!" And it was good.
by DodgerBlueBalls on May 28, 2010 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Minor League moves
Inland Empire 66ers place Matthew Sartor on the 7-day DL with a Left Ankle Sprain
Inland Empire 66ers activate Robert Boothe from the 7-day DL
Inland Empire 66ers ADD LHP Geison Aguasviva from Extended Spring Training
Inland Empire 66ers DELETE LHP Cody White, assigned to Albuquerque Isotopes (AAA)
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
None of these
Involve promotions for Russell or Sands, so they’re irrelevant. :)
Was it a self-asked question?
There's no need to fear, Underdog is here! / Broncos/Dodgers/Lakers fan in Niners/Raiders/Giants/Warriors country, and damned proud of it.
I believe it was “How are you doing, Jim?” :)
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 4:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Scott Elbert
1. Want to thank TBLA poster RxApple for his reporting of Elbert being called up, and his in depth information on the fanpost about Elbert and how the Dodgers have been tinkering with his arm slot.
2. In case you haven’t read the Fanpost this is the kind of stuff you won’t get anywhere else.
He was always an amazing athlete….
Every since we started kindergarten, he was never the biggest kid, but always the most athletic and competitive. As a not so good athlete myself, I was always on the B-team that was practiced against, and he ran us all over. He was the kind of tailback that would just lower his shoulder and run you over. On defense, as a middle line backer, he was the most feared because he hit HARD. He was also an amazing basketball player, although he didn’t play past 8th grade because it wasn’t his favorite sport. He could easily dunk the ball by the end of 8th grade and he was just a touch over 6’0", had some ups. In tee-ball, he was cracking home runs right off the tee and all the way through high school he was a good batter.
Anyway, junior year in football we made it to the state semifinals and he was our main tailback, he rushed for something like 2500 yds.
by RxApple on May 28, 2010 7:30 AM PDT up reply actions
3. I love the personal connection some of our posters have with our Dodgers. I’m sure they are fans of their friends first, and Dodger fans second, but we hope to keep them as Dodger fans.
4. I love the SB Nation Fan Post setup. Some great stuff gets posted there.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Word
Thanks to RxApple’s tip, Eric was the first to break the story (on Twitter)
by Michael White on May 28, 2010 4:46 PM PDT up reply actions
I don't think waking up in the morning and smelling Chris Iannetta would be that gross.
"I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." - Albert Einstein
by Andrew T. Fisher on May 28, 2010 4:46 PM PDT reply actions
You have no idea how often I use that line. I love it.
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Where'd he go to school?
Maybe we can call the alumni association and rent a classmate for a week or two until he’s DFA’d. Really don’t need him past that, and then he can get another job at the next teams blog.
If they did drop by they would never post
because he’s been treated so hard here. You don’t see El Sid posting anymore, can’t be much fun to be friends or family and seem them ripped day in and day out.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Of course I do...
Prior to this year, he hasn’t been “that” wild, and I attribute that to the change in arm slot, which after his last outing, his control seems better, I guess we’ll see…
haha sorry man just messing around because Phil is the one who has used that term the most, I think.
How ‘bout it?
There’s a lot of people moving around
by 68elcamino427 on May 28, 2010 5:00 PM PDT up reply actions
Elisaul Pimentel
This guy is a real pitching prospect for us but is completely off the radar. Right now he has a no-hitter going, after five innings, in a low A game. His fastball reaches 95 MPH and he is doing better in low A at age 21 than James McDonald was doing at the same age.
why did you post that?
I’m watching the game, and right when you posted that he gives up a hit
by Brandon Lennox on May 28, 2010 5:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Thanks to the exchange rate, that was only 0.873 jinxes.
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 5:25 PM PDT up reply actions
I came home at lunch
and was writing part of the game preview RE: Francis.
Anyway, when I got home, the first page open on Firefox was of this photo, too good not to post:
It's official
Nick Green has been DFA’d
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 5:26 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
You have to love Stan Van Gundy
Screaming and Yelling at his players to “settle down.” Hilarious, Shaq was right, he is the Master of Panic.
According to weather.com
Wind: From S at 18mph gusting to 27mph
From the south would be straight out to CF. (Home to 2B is just slightly NE of true north.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
Larry Bowa on Furcal
“I went on the DL one time in Philly, and I went down and played a week of games. I don’t know how guys play one game, and come back and expect to not miss a beat. It’s one thing getting your timing at the plate, but watching the bat off the ball, getting jumps to your right or left; I could hit 1,000 fungoes, it’s not the same as when the game’s on. He said he was ready, but obviously you saw a little rust there. Hopefully he can regain that form, because defensively that’s a big position for us. We need to catch the ball; he’ll be the first to tell you ‘no excuses.’”
It should be noted that this was on the KCAL pregame show, and delivered in a calm, non-tirade fashion. :)
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 5:41 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought I saw a “Dad of Esquire” shirt under his uniform :)
by Eric Stephen on May 28, 2010 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Then why the day off yesterday?
I know it was a day game after a night game and Furcal has the back history, but he is supposed to be healed, or at least healthy, there.
The commenter formerly known as El Lay Dave.
I would like to apologize to Xavier Paul
I needed a scapegoat for my ire yesterday, and he got the brunt of it. Someday, if I meet you Xavier Paul, I will buy you a beer.
Look at that, he hit the f*cking bull! Guy gets a free steak!
Eric Karros sticking up for Xavier Paul on the KCAL pregame. Noting that RF is a difficult field to play in Wrigley.
Poor kid, trying to wear my Andre’s shoes, they’re big shoes they are
Look at that, he hit the f*cking bull! Guy gets a free steak!
by Josie Becker on May 28, 2010 5:48 PM PDT up reply actions
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