Point of fact: up until this Pirates series the Dodgers had won seven consecutive series. They’ve been playing very well. Sometimes we don’t realize it.
Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A
Brett Anderson is 9-8 with a 3.35 ERA and hunting win number 10. The lefty hasn’t won that many since his rookie year of 2009, thanks to injuries. He’s made four starts against the D-Backs this season, going 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA. His opponent will be Jhoulys Chacin, who’s 0-1 with a 2.95 ERA in the big leagues this season. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Diamondbacks in June. He pitched for the Rockies for six years amassing a record of 38-48 and an ERA of 3.78.
Lineup when available.
The grand experiment of putting Chase Utley at third base begins.
Tonight's #Dodgers lineup:
Crawford LF
Utley 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Kendrick 2B
Ethier RF
Seager SS
Grandal C
Pederson CF
Anderson P #whiff
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 21, 2015
NPUT
I think an interesting project for next year would be to keep a chart giving the hitters and the pitchers a score in each game. Only two grades, “P” for pass, and “F” for fail. The number is three. If the pitchers hold the opposition to three runs or less, they get a “P”. More than three is an “F”. The hitters get an “F” for scoring three runs or less, a “P” for four or more. I think the hitters this year would have a lot of “F”s, and the pitchers might have more “P”s than actual team wins because of all the low scoring games they have thrown.
Record is 85-64: Hitters have 78 P and 71 F; Pitchers 85 P and 64 F.
That was quick, you come in handy sometimes. Is it amazing that the pitchers are right on track?
Well, to paraphrase Yogi: pitching is 90% of baseball and the other half is hitting.
Don’t tell that to Package…
The hitters have scored three runs or less in 71 games this year? That sounds bad.
I would call it average. Indeed, very average. The Dodger’s average is 4.1, which is also the NL average. It suggests two things. One, the importance of pitching, where LA is at 3.6. The Cards for example actually score less at 4.0, but their pitching (and defense because it measures run prevention) is at 3.2. If you look at the top seven teams in run prevention you will see StL, LAD, Pitt, SF, NYM and Cubs. It also suggests that a “good” offense as commonly measured by OPS+ does not necessarily translate into more scoring. I believe that Jon looked into at one point. The Dodger offense, as measured by OPS+ is and has been for much of the season the best in the NL. If I recall, he suggested that luck (bad) had something to do with it. But, it could be more fundamental. While we are first in OBP, we are next to last in number of hits. Our being second in BB shows that a BB is not always equal to a hit when it comes to scoring runs. We do make up for this a bit in that we are second in slugging, i.e., we get more out of our hits.
Judging from the comments, everybody was frustrated all night long. I’m glad I was cooking, eating and cleaning up, I think, even if I did have to empty the dishwasher at 5:00PM since I forgot I’d turned it on yesterday.
Bed time for me. I won’t be able to watch or listen until an hour or so into the game tomorrow. Go Dodgers!
Remember the main song from the musical Annie.
good point, but some other options are “Something was missing”, ‘Maybe’ or “it’s the hard knock life’
I could paint my hair blue, but that would require not much paint.
For those of you who remember this from two years ago, I may have to resort to painting my toenails blue again, and sooner rather than later.
Anderson really didn’t get it done tonight. I sure hope Wood comes through tomorrow night again. DBacks playing really tough right now.
The Dbags have young talent, I expect them to finish ahead of the Gnats gnext year.
Oh well. I enjoyed building this giant thread with everyone tonight.
We are stuck at seven. Stuck, I say!
Boo-hoo!
Indeed.
AGon! Another hit!
Well, he gave it a good rip.
Vin should have just prerecorded the phrase “little chopper to (insert infielder)”. It would have saved his vocal chords a lot of work.
Side-winding pitchers also annoy me.
How do you feel about rangy outfielders?
See below.
How about warm puppies then?
Nope. Not tonight.
You just know AZ will regret leaving the bases loaded there as Goldie strikes out.
Or not.
Vinny is also being funny, but even he isn’t making me laugh. I may need to stop posting, lest I violate further rules.
17 hits for Arizona. Maybe that’s their quota for all four games.
We are doomed.
At least Jansen is well rested.
If we ever need him again.
After that bunt in the air fell untouched I would say that AZ has had all the breaks, but they were called out for running outside the baseline that cost them a run.
So all but one.
All we had to do was hold them, and we had a chance. But it’s not looking good.
Bad throw to second.
Better throw and he was way out.
Remember when we used to get all those pop fly singles and seeing eye hits?
Another DBack hit. Pretty discouraging.
Ditto on that next hit.
Who’s left on the bench?
Won’t it be nice when KikĂ© is back? That will help the bench more than Heisey.
Missing Turner’s offense as well.
The catchers?
Just off the end of the bat. Hudson got away twice there.
Two down is better than four.
Pure reaction. Would have gone right up the middle.
Redonkulous.
Which part?
SVS line out.
Pollack almost caught that thing. I would have violated Rule One big time.
Hmmm. Maybe we can keep on coming?
Yes, please.
Grandal!!!! Thank goodness! I am totally shocked.
First RH dinger of the year.
And first solid hit in a while, yes?
No, a few games ago he had two hard-hit singles.
I must have been back East.
I used to like the number seven. Like, this morning.
Kershaw needs to speak up again. Urgency is needed, guys. Nobody is going to roll over for us.
So many solo home runs against. 5 in two games.
A somnambulistic effort.
Yes. I know it’s put me to sleep a couple of times tonight.
No runs, no hits. Again.
When I got home, we were up 2-0. Seems like a dream.
Colorado would have let that one drop.
I thought AZ bullpen would be softer than Pittsburgh’s.
Usually they are.
Everybody is pressing.
Utley didn’t exactly leap away on that HBP.
Scoring 6 runs against Pittsburgh feels like forever a go.
A hit would be nice.
How about a HBP?
Can’t get a clean inning against these guys.
You expected a clean inning from Jim Johnson?
One can hope.
So WBBsAS, at what point am I allowed to panic?
Because they are a dirty team?
Everyone’s a comedian tonight… I WANT SOME DODGER RUNS!!!!
Frustration mounting.
For you or the team or both?
Vinny: Diamondbacks eliminated and loose as a goose. Meanwhile Dodgers haunted by seven. Supposed to be a lucky number.
Six hits ain’t gonna win this one.
And none since the second inning.
Bad at bat. And no Ruggiano on the bench to go to. Triple, make that quadruple phooey.
That was a waste.
Double-phooey.
Grandal walk and Joc HR would work alright.
Phooey.
The longest journey can begin with a 90-foot walk.
Now is the time for a run or three.
Go Corey go!
Dodgers on a negative roll of scoring first and losing. Tonight would be the third game in a row and their last four losses. Statistically that means nothing but it is still a bit frustrating.
That foul ball by Ethier sure looked fair.
C’mon Baez! Get the out!
Pollack getting praise from Vinny. I am not as gracious.
He’s very good.
Yes, but do I have to like that fact?
Better tag would have had him.
Yes, I saw that on the replay.
I doubt that.
The throw beat the runner.
The throw wasn’t quite on line.
And yet if Kendrick hadn’t missed down low on the sweep tag the out would have happened.
He got the throw but had to move the glove. Pollock made a fine slide.
Let’s just say we see it a bit differently.
The throw was good, but I thought Joc got to the ball a bit slowly.
Yes you are certainly right about that. He was slow in picking it up.
He is probably the second best CF in the NL. Right after your fav McClutch.
I was just thinking that. I enjoy McCutch a lot more, for no rational reason.
If we had to face him 18 times a season instead of six he would probably get on our nerves as well.
Good point.
Cutch is more charismatic, but I’m not sure he’s that much better.
Wish we had their bats.
Grrr.
Too bad it wasn’t Latos pitching. Then we could have really had something to collectively grumble about.
Utley should have taken the play at the plate.
This is not great.
I can’t believe it is only 4-2. Feels like more tbh.
It is…
Never mind.
At least the order of hits help the Dodgers.
Just serving it up.
The ground balls seemed to be finding holes. Like over the fence.
Anderson is going to give up one more run before he leaves the game, that is his M.O. The question then becomes whether or not the Dodger offense can make up for that as well as any subsequent runs the bullpen allows. My guess is…Not tonight.
You sure called that one right!
Being killed for two straight games by solo homers which, I realize, are better than two-run homers, three-run homers and grand slams.
Anderson tossing BP now.
Wait – I think we just saw HR, double by Arizona.
Great play by Hill to get CC.
I think the Gameday Operator must be an old guy with a prostate problem…
Feels like Joc has been stuck on 52 RBI’s forever.
Let’s get this third out here.
Man – Anderson did not listen to Link’s earlier comment about not giving up hits.
Shoot!
Just need a long out to left to complete the hat trick.
Stop giving up hits, Anderson! You won’t be around long if you keep this up.
Snakes have one of the better offenses in the NL. We are gunna have to score some runs.
Time for more RBI’s for Gonzo?
Nice golf swing by Utley.
Please have Utley sacrifice instead of hitting into a double play…
Nice smooth swing by Anderson on that hit.
Rather unusual for him. He can’t even bunt.
Adrian has 87 RBI this year. He’s gone over 100 every year but one since 2007, and in the one he missed he had 99. That’s 1053 for his career. He’s 13th among active players.
Top five:
1.Alex Rodriguez
2052
2.Albert Pujols
1688
3.David Ortiz
1631
4.Adrian Beltre
1446
5.Miguel Cabrera
1442
Miggie’s only been in MLB 13 years.
So he needs to average one/game to get to 100.
Yup.
Ah Beltre. We could have used him tonight!
Hall of Famer, I’ll betcha.
One of the few 3rd basemen in there when he does go in – I guess as a Ranger?
I’d say yes. His years in Seattle were excellent but quiet because the team wasn’t very good.
Safeco reduced his raw numbers.
He had a funny exchange with Felix yesterday, which I posted OT.
Saw it. I don’t think he thought it was funny at the time, but probably later.
That did not appear to be a strike or a swing.
I too was trying to figure if it was the swing or the called strike that got Grandal.
I would say it was neither.
It was the Ump.
The cutoff man fell down catching the throw from the outfield. Ethier might have scored had they sent him.
Ok Seager – let’s do some damage here.
That helps loosen up the back!
Pollock made a great effort on that.
AGone!
You have to give Utley credit for one thing: He makes Rollins look good.
Should Anderson just walk Goldie here?
Guess not!
In the life is good category: I have the Dodger game with Vin announcing on tv. Lying on my couch and joining my favourite Dodger community online.
And yes, I might have some ice cream later this evening.
50+ comments before the game even begins? Gracious sakes alive!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IjgZGhHrYY
MLBTV is not working for tonight’s game.
The Giants are idle today. We play Arizona. Starting tomorrow, the Dodgers and the Giants each play 13 straight days through the end of the regular season, Sunday, Oct. 4, including the four in San Francisco next Monday through Thursday.
I have no problem with the Utley at third base experiment. Given his performance as a Dodger, however, I do have a problem with him continuing to bat near the top of the lineup. I’d rather see him batting sixth or lower.
One dumb Mattingly move yesterday I still feel bad about. Don’t remember the inning but bases were loaded, one out, Pederson at bat. The Genius pinch hit for him with the kid catcher, Barnes. The way Joc is hitting, I can understand hitting for him…IF you have a better hitter available. I would even have understood using Greinke to hit for him, but not Barnes. Joc is just about the most likely player on the team to hit a homerun. Darn good chance he might strike out. But if he grounds out, he’s not as likely to be doubled up at first as Barnes. And a run would have scored. We were probably twice as likely to score somehow if Joc hits versus Barnes.
Yes, that really bothered me as well. Mattingly’s lefty-righty obsession sometimes causes him to check his common sense at the door.
I often disagree with Mattingly’s strategy, and probably would have left Joc in the game. It surprised me a little, though, that SVS could be healthy enough to start (and hit a dinger) Sunday, but unable to PH on Saturday.