Dodgers at Pirates, 1:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS1
Mat Latos (4-7, 4.29 ERA) makes his second start for the Dodgers since coming over from the Marlins, while Francisco Liriano (7-6, 2.92 ERA) is searching for his fourth straight win. Latos is 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA in his career against the Pirates; Liriano hasn’t lost to the Dodgers in three career starts, posting a 1.37 ERA. He’s making it very hard to hit him this year: opponents’ batting average is an anemic .201, sixth lowest in the league. Latos has improved since his inflamed knee was drained and he came back from the disabled list: his ERA since then is 1.73.
Lineup:
Today’s #Dodgers lineup:
Rollins SS
Kendrick 2B
Gonzalez 1B
Van Slyke LF
Puig RF
Hernandez CF
Ellis C
Guerrero 3B
Latos P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 8, 2015
NPUT
Tragedy in the Atacama: https://twitter.com/Waldeke/status/630445239019421696
More detail here. Five dead in mudslides. This is ordinarily a really dry part of Chile, I gather. WBBsAs can tell us more about the location, I’m sure.
Here’s some background: http://southernconeguidebooks.blogspot.com/2010/06/dusty-diamonds-and-crushed-rock-greens.html
Fascinating to watch the Pirates after recently reading the book “Big Data Baseball: Math, Miracles, and the End of a Twenty-Year Losing Streak”, by Travis Sawchik on how the FO and Hurdle turned this team around. A must read for those interested in how big data is being employed by teams to improve their performance using the filibusteros to illustrate. Its all there, pitch framing (why they targeted our beloved Russell Martin back in 2013), infield shifts, approaches to pitchers and pitching patterns, etc. Interesting section on Liriano and how he was culled from the trash heap of injured pitchers to become an important part of the rotation. It’s not by accident that the Pirate pitchers hit batsman at a rate 60% above the league average.
I don’t think Liriano will last, though, with his history of fragility.
Sure, but they have already gotten WAR 7.1 from him over three seasons at a cost of around $18 million. They are into him for $28 million over the next two seasons, however.
Mind you, we could say the same of Brett Anderson, who’s been very good. Most of his injuries appear to have been freakish, though.
Yes, that’s why the book may of particular interest to us, as it is very explicit in the way that the Pirates were using an approach copied from the Tampa FO.
I will get the game here in Australia then. I will be at work, as it is 10am Monday my time, but I have just set it to record and then I can watch it after work
Two ugly games in a row, and tomorrow night’s a blackout.
Sorry/grateful (Sondheim anyone?) that I missed the brutal/frustrating/unjust ending of the game.
However, the ice cream was delish and we stopped off at the local fire station to visit our neighbourhood fire fighters. Very fun to visit them and see the big fire trucks, etc.
Tomorrow we’re the Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN, remember.
You mean we’re blacked out tomorrow.
We could so easily be up by five. Close, close games and tough losses.
Ball in the dirt, too. Foo.
Drat!
Strike three on ball three. Bummer. And I hate that they overturned the call at first.
All right. Go Grandal!
Great eye! Now Grandal from the left side.
Okay, now, that just sucks.
Am I allowed to say that?
My wife and son are just getting their stuff on. Looks like I will miss an exciting finish!
OK, Joc let’s do it!
Single to the outfield will do, Yasiel.
Let’s go Puig.
Van Slyke!
Von Smash, save us!
Go, AGon…
One last thought before I go: Justin Turner – Dodger fans turn their lonely eyes to you.
Howie timed that pitch perfectly!
Okay, Kendrick. Time to change those closer stats…
Going out for ice cream with my family. I will check out the end later. Probably read it and weep, but hopeful not.
Sounds like a great consolation prize!
Oh, man. Melancon…
Beautiful picture of PNC Park from yesterday’s game when a friend of mine was there:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153728669944381&set=a.10150188762494381.334543.501109380&type=1
I need to take a sojourn up there next time the Dodgers are in Piitsburgh. Ain’t that far from DC
244 miles, sez Google. 4 hours via I-70 and I-76.
A breeze.
Heh. Gameday shows Peralta with no ERA at all. That’s an improvement. 😉
Now they’ve corrected it to its natural 5.00.
That “5” look like a zero to you?
Well, the VA did send me a notice to make an appt with the optometrist in October…
Nice play, Yasiel!
Wouldn’t it be funny if the bullpen started to turn it around and the starters were off. Ha ha – so funny. Grrrr
Gnats lose.
Gnats lose…
Yep!
Not feeling the love on that ground ball.
He hit it so hard, too!
8-5, two outs in Chicago. Need the third out there, as well.
8-6 now. I don’t care if it ends 8-7 so long as SF loses.
Hard work, but he got there.
Third out would be nice here.
Every time I look up, Kutch is batting.
Joc with the gift.
Blanton seems a lot harder to hit pitching for other guys than he did when he was pitching for us.
Gnats go quietly in seventh, still trail 5-3 at Wrigley.
McCutchen just involved in two questionable running plays in a row and gets let off lightly by Buc announcers.
Get this out, Baez!
Good throw by Van Slyke to get that out.
Geeze. McCutcheon. Again.
Way too early analysis: Bring back Bolsinger!
Not sure about his health right now. Was lifted after 3 innings in his last start on the 4th.
Oh, boy. Ethier up. Bullpen coming…
Nice hustle Guerrero!
You may have spoken too soon.
Either way, he tried really hard.
Time to prep some dinner. I’ll check back in later for the dramatic conclusion of this one.
Our starting pitching is on vacation. I hope it is a brief respite.
Bats – don’t go quiet now. We need you!
Okay, Puig.
True or false: this game will end up having as many/more runs than the Dodgers 10-8 win vs the Pirates?
I guess I choose the under, but not super confident I will be right.
Let’s get at least one back, guys! We can do it!
Cubbies just pulled ahead as well.
Yah!
Latos completely out of gas.
They are stealing us blind.
Less of a chance of stranding McCutch now than the already minimal chance when he was on 2nd.
Bucs running wild on A.J. today.
Not Ellis. Latos is really slow to get the ball home.
Combination of the two. Poor throws by A.J. as well.
Not a quick game so far.
I just got out of the shower and thought the same thing. 4-4 in the 3rd inning? Ugly!
This is going to be an ugly game isn’t it? It will take some more good hitting to win.
I had the same thought. I wish I had more faith in our bullpen.
That’s my fear as well. Gas cans instead of fire hoses out there.
Latos not finishing batters off.
McCutcheon is such a good lead off guy. Jealous!
Gnats and Cubs also trading runs. 3-3.
Fellow on a pace to hit 100 pitches by the 4th.
Neighborhood rule, I guess.
I don’t have eyes on it. Was it a reasonable use of the challenge?
In retrospect, no.
Hard to tell, but valid to challenge.
Interesting. Maybe second baseman never on the bag.
Just got back in time to hear that HR. Glad to see we got back to even.
Liriano’s HR was a killer.
Liriano felt he had to give one back, apparently.
Generous guy. Neither starter looking anything close to smooth.
Yeah – that shocked me to see that he hit it.
Nice hit by Guererro.
These are crazy close games.
Quique! (getting around the bases quickly)
Woot! Yes!
We’re playing like geezers. They’re playing like youngsters.
Seems a little harsh. We aren’t known for team speed, but didn’t you see Latos go all the way to third on the infield hit?
It’s more their stealing versus our not throwing…
Third stolen base on Latos.
my goodness
Latos ambling there.
Seemed to have to slow down in order to catch the ball.
Even so…
That was such an awkward swing, too.
Geez
Disaster! How…?
Another goal line stand.
Pitch count at 51
AGon! RBI!
Agon beats the shift!
Nice hustle by Latos.
Just tuned in. What was the issue on the field with the umps (Pirates broadcasters don’t seem to know).
“If a batter strikes at a ball and misses and swings so hard he carries the bat all the way around and, in the umpire’s judgment, unintentionally hits the catcher or the ball in back of him on the backswing before the catcher has securely held the ball, it shall be called a strike only (not interference). The ball will be dead, however, and no runner shall advance on the play.”
thanks
Batter’s bat hit AJ on backswing. Stolen base had to go back to first. Then Mattingly questioned whether batter should be out as well, but was never out of the box so no out.
That could have been worse.
AJ Time! 😉
Good AB until he actually had to swing the bat.
For the Wednesday afternoon, August 19, Dodgers game in Oakland, I will be sitting in either section 120 or 121. There is a group of us and I am not certain yet exactly where I will be. As you said you will be in Section 120, it will be easy for us to meet. What is your seat number?
I dunno yet. A friend bought the tickets.
When I know my seat location, I will post it closer to the game.
1-0 Dodgers. This time we take the early lead.
If Dodgers win today they will be 63-47. The won the World Series with that identical record one year.*
*The year was 1981 – which, of course, was a strike year. Back when MLB and MLBPA thought it was a good idea to strike every few years or so.
From Eric Stephen:
“Through June, the Dodgers bullpen had a 3.17 ERA, a 27.2-percent strikeout rate, an 8.3-percent walk rate, and opponents hit .224/.290/.334 against them with 16 home runs in 919 plate appearances.
“Since the start of July, the bullpen has a 6.17 ERA, a 24.7-percent strikeout rate, an 8.8-percent walk rate, with opponents hitting .299/.369/.509 against them, with 16 home runs in 377 plate appearances.”
From me: this brings whole new meaning to putting the bull in the bullpen.
The trend is not our friend.
It seems to me in earlier times you’d get a complete game from one of your starters in every turn of the rotation which allowed the bullpen to rest. Thanks to pitch counts and health concerns that doesn’t happen as much as it used to.
Who would ever have thought Guerrero would hit behind Ellis? I used to be very high on Guerrero but now I think he ought to ask them to send him down so he can better learn his craft and eventually be an outstanding player. His money is assured for the next 4 years at $7 MM @. That would be the wise thing to do.
Hard to imagine. Even more at this point with only a couple weeks left in farm ball.
He said in the spring he wouldn’t go down. Unlikely that’s changed.
It’s Ned’s legacy.
Maybe in your world….
If you care to look it up, he said in ST in response to a question about his contract that he would not go down. So it appears it’s in his world.
He’s scuffling now and not playing much, but he or any other player with double digit HRs is not going to ask to be demoted–even if it might help him. Competitive drive and ego play a part, but he like any player would say he just needs more PT and he’d be fine, that he belongs in the majors.