Game 18, 2016

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOT Sports

Kenta Maeda makes his fourth start of the season, and he’s already joined some elite Dodger company after his first three games. He’s

2-0 with an 0.47 ERA through his first three starts, joining Fernando Valenzuela (0.33 in 1988), Billy Loes (0.37 in 1952), and Sandy Koufax (0.40 in 1955) as the only three Dodgers to post an ERA under 0.50 through their first three big league starts.

His opponent will be Tyler Chatwood, who’s 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA.

A tale of two Gonzalez’s: The Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez has 19 HRs in 77 games at Coors Field during his career, while the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez has hit .320 (99-for-309) with 19 homers and 61 RBIs against the Dodgers in his career.

Lineup when available.

100 thoughts on “Game 18, 2016

  1. Good win for LA! Do you think Lee is up to take a start or just for bullpen depth?

    • I think probably just depth in the pen. Unless Kazmir is out for longer than they are saying right now.

        • As long as Kaz is not injured I would give him one or two more starts before bumping him from the rotation. But if he is still shaky come mid May then I would begin to look at options.

      • If I recall correctly, Kazmir got off to slow start last year before turning it on and had fine numbers for the entire season.

        We shouldn’t assume too much from either Kazmir or Maeda (though I think Maeda will have an excellent season, it can’t continue as it has).

  2. Nicely done. We’re 7-5 on the road, 4-2 at home for 11-7. The season is now one-ninth over. Expand that 11-7 over a full year and it goes to 99-63. I’d happily settle for that.

  3. The Dodgers really didn’t want to give up their hold on first place to Colorado.

  4. Jansen with his 8th save in the Dodgers first 18 games. He is on pace for 72 saves!

    • He’s only 11 away from tying Gagne for most in franchise history. I find that a little startling, but when I think about it it seems to me the Dodgers have always had great starters but rarely the big-name relievers. Oh, sure, Mike Marshall and Perranoski, but they didn’t do it for long. In fact, they’ve only had 6 guys log more than 100 career saves for the team: in descending order, Gagne, Jensen, Shaw, Worrell, Brewer, Perranoski.

  5. With the exception of Jansen, whenever we go to the bullpen I feel like it is a roll of the dice.

  6. This looks like it is setting up for another save opportunity for Jansen – barring any runs being scored in the top of the ninth by the Dodgers.

        • She was an adoptee from one of the rescue outfits.

          Here were our original surmises about her. Since then she’s completely flipped her behavior from what it was three years ago. She doesn’t spend any time at all inside except to eat. She hangs out under the house or in the bushes surrounding a paperbark tree near the pool, occasionally basks in the sun next to the outer wall of the yard, and is completely an outside dog.

    • The malamute lets us know when it’s breakfast or dinner time, since he’s quite a talker (but not a barker). He too was a rescue of sorts – family with young baby decided they didn’t have time for him, so we adopted him. He’ll be 12 on May 16th and, while he doesn’t pull us around the block any more – rather, we pull him – he can still turn it on if there’s a squirrel in the back yard.

    • You would be so proud of him Bob. And equally impressive getting out of his spot of trouble in the 6th as he was throughout the first 5.

  7. I thought the Rockies pen was supposed to be bad. I guess they are going through a market correction like the Dodgers did.

  8. Yes! He got out of it! Bases loaded and only 1 out and he gets out of it with no runs scored.

  9. Probably for the best. Now don’t have to worry about balancing pitch count with potential no hit bid.

  10. Maeda seems to know what he is doing, and doing it quite well thus far. Interesting.

  11. I will be back later this evening. Tonight it is my turn for bedtime routine with my son.

  12. Second time in two nights that Pederson stung the ball but right at an infielder.

  13. Chatwood at 74 pitches. We are definitely going to see the Rockies’ bullpen early tonight!

  14. Making Chatwood work – 20 pitches in the first inning, and another 20 in the second with 2 outs.

  15. AJ totally deprived Joc of a stolen base attempt there. Oh well. 3-0 Dodgers!

    • I like the “integrating talented young players on to your roster in almost a slow-drip sort of way” concept/plan.

  16. Reviewing Puig’s throw last night – I also showed it to my softball-star nephew who was amazed – I have to express my relief that he didn’t Kemp himself running into the fence.