Game 35, 2015

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Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Clayton Kershaw goes for victory number 100 for the fifth time. His last time out he was roughed up (or nibbled to death) by the Rockies for five runs in 5 1/3 innings. He didn’t figure in the decision as the Dodgers recovered to win 9-5 at Coors Field. His opponent will be Eddie Butler, who pitched and lost the rain-shortened game last week, also at Coors.

The Dodgers could activate Kenley Jansen as early as today. Whether he’s immediately thrown into the closer role is up in the air.

Sports Illustrated has a nice story about the Dodgers’ defense and how it’s improved, particularly with Joc Pederson in center field.

Lineup when available.

171 thoughts on “Game 35, 2015”

  2. Despite Rollins’ good game last night, Chad of DD is not impressed, sees ominous signs.

    http://dodgersdigest.com/2015/05/16/jimmy-rollins-bad-luck-may-not-explain-all-his-struggles-at-the-plate/.

    In fairness, TBLA notes Rollins is 9-for-26 (.346) with 3 XBH hits his last 7 games.

    Another slow starter doing better–straight from the medical ward–is Brett Anderson.

    Jon W. says for the month of May, Anderson has a 1.10 ERA and 13 strikeouts against 19 baserunners in 16 1/3 innings. Opponents have a .645 OPS against him.

    • Ironically, Anderson’s been rained out of the opportunity to go deeper into games.

  3. Thinkbluela wants to know why DM let RH Yimi face LH masher CarGo in the rain delay game, with disastrous results. This from a manager whose prime directive seems to be avoiding such matchups. Very legit question, given that lefties were available and CarGo doing terribly v them.

    The answer, classic Mattinglyspeak, could be shortened to “I screwed up.” Won’t hear that, tho.

    http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/2015/05/15/dodgers-lose-soggy-heartbreaker-to-last-place-rockies/

    • Until very recently, Yimi’s been effective against everybody. He came back and got a tough out last night when it counted.

  4. From the Twitter smiles dept.–

    Brandon McCarthy
    @BMcCarthy32

    @BrettAnderson35 it’s crazy that between you, me, Greinke & @ClaytonKersh22 that we now have two 100 game winners, 4 Cy Youngs and an MVP

    1:25 AM – 16 May 2015

    • And how much money some of them have been paid for producing so little. Laughing all the way to the bank, I suppose.

      • Any pro athlete wants to play and excel at the highest level possible. Highly likely both hate that they’ve been hurt and unable to do so rather than laugh about being richly paid for not.

        • I’m sure they are…And if they have any sense of humor at all, they see the irony in their situation.

  5. You just would not think that when the Dodgers K 18 the other team would score 4 runs.

    And kinda would think that when they punch out 14 like on Thursday, they’d have a good chance to win. Which they did, until…

    Baseball.

  9. Nicasio may turn out to be the 8th inning guy. He’s been the most consistent lately.

  11. Now to unwind and get to sleep . . . after the 7th, I knew I shouldn’t even try!

  20. The pen was/is due for some regression. But you could hope it wouldn’t be all at once.

      • It all starts with pulling Kershaw too soon in my opinion. Should have been allowed to have a longer chance to finish the 7th with a 5 run lead.

        • Strongly agree. Mattingly and most other managers repeat that mistake over and over.

  23. Liberatore with a strike out. Only Paco didn’t get at least one tonight. If he had, this game would be a lot less close.

  25. Kenley with the rare 1 0 0 0 0 4 linescore for his IP.

    Wonder if Don will bring him back out. Doubtful. Don’t think he’s ever gone more than 4 outs…has he?

  26. Four hits for Rollins. I hope and expect he won’t get another shot at the cycle tonight.

  28. I stand corrected. Jansen certainly threw strikes right there. Hope Howell or whoever pitches the ninth does as well.

  35. Think this will be a bad idea bringing Kenley into the fire like this. Everything breaking Colorado’s way right now.

  37. Hey, I just found the game on the tv! Yay! And Cargo just got on first. Boo.

  43. Kersh looked like last year for most of the game . . . unfortunately, the bullpen is looking like last year as well. 🙁

  44. Maybe I should go back to the festival. Team fell apart the moment I checked in!

    • Weird that the pen would crumble all at the same time like that – one after another.

    • Should have let him pitch to Blackmon IMHO – give him a chance to finish the inning. He does have a 5 run lead still to work with.

      • Kershaw’s era with 2 out in the inning: 3.71. Still 2 outs in the inning and his era is right back to where he started the night: 4.24.

  48. I hope – in a good way – this is the last batter that Kershaw faces tonight.

  49. No hits for the Dodgers that last inning. Gives Clayton a chance to catch up to the hit total with strike outs thrown.

    • That was his easiest hit of the year. They had shifted the infield to the left side, with only the first baseman on the right side holding the runner on. Rollins found the Grand Canyon on the right side.

      • Clayton’s K rate at 11.4 coming into the game is about 2 K/9 higher than his career average and 0,5 higher than last season.

        • Cool. But I’ll also be happy to see him go deep into the game tonight and get the win.

      • A fellow invented a bike that steered like a tiler on a boat and offered people a hundred bucks if they could ride it to him standing 20 feet way. No one could do it. No bloody way, says Vin.

        • Awesome story. Can just hear Vin’s tone and inflection as he told it!

  58. Rox seem to think that they are in Coors and not facing Clayton (how in the world did they let that 5th run score and go for the DP?)

  60. I do remember Lou Johnson, who barely beat out Drysdale for the team HR lead in ’65.

    • In 1958, Don hit a dinger every 10.2 PAs. Babe Ruth, another pitcher, hit one for every 14.9 PA in his career.

    • Yep. Which must be frustrating as a hitter, but is reassuring to be seeing the ball and making good, solid contact.

  69. “Waste not, want not.”
    The first is true tonight . . . hopefully not the latter.

  70. My hope for tonight is that Kershaw’s era is lower than Butler’s by the end of the game.

    • I used to be concerned about his ERA and other stats . . . right now, I just want him to get the W.

      • I’m in the Al Davis camp, Just Win Baby. I don’t care who gets the W as long as it’s one of our guys.

      • Obviously the win is what matters. I just figure if Kershaw pitches well, and Butler gives up a bunch of runs – well, that would help the prime directive.

  73. Apparently LA was hurt by a baserunning blunder last night as well. May those occurrences, this losing streak, and Kersh’s non-Win streak all end tonight!

  77. Washington got four in the first at San Diego on five singles and a walk. The Padres didn’t score in the first, Kemp hitting into a DP to end the inning. He is now hitting .269.

  78. On my iPad, the closed captioning erroneously refers to the “Nats” as “Gnats.”

    • Maybe they’ve been monitoring your comments about That Team Up North.

  80. Whew!
    May that be the closest CO comes to scoring tonight!
    Now let’s get some runs!

  81. I won’t mind Kid K’s slow start at all this year if it means we have seen the last of that scraggly beard. I’m thinking is wife is happy too.

      • He looks so much better tonight without it. Professional. If you can’t grow a SVS type of beard, it’s best to just eschew it altogether.

    • I agree . . . but didn’t want to sound like my mom when I had facial hair (mine was trimmed — nothing like Kersh’s).
      I figured if he was winning with it, go with whatever look he wants.

  86. From a fantasy viewpoint, the Dodgers are making it really difficult to find pitchers to start against them.

    The starting pitcher going against the Dodgers has recorded a quality
    start just 13 times in 34 games. That is a quality start percentage of
    just 38.2 percent; starters have a 48.6 percent QS rate against the rest
    of the league. The Dodgers have put up five runs or more on the
    starting pitcher 10 times, meaning a meltdown is nearly as likely as a
    quality start.