Game 89, 2016

Padres at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

Andrew Cashner (3-6, 4.42 ERA) goes for the Padres while Scott Kazmir (7-3, 4.37 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. Here’s a bit of a surprise: Kazmir hasn’t lost in his last ten starts. Cashner pitched well in his first start last Sunday after coming off the DL, giving up just two runs in six innings against the Yankees.

A-Gon has been very successful against Cashner; he’s hit .344/.432/.750 with four homers. Likewise, Alexei Ramirez and Adam Rosales have a combined .930 OPS in 62 plate appearances against Kazmir from their days in the AL when he was there.

Lineup when available.

73 thoughts on “Game 89, 2016

  1. Haven’t been able to comment much here for a good while. Doesn’t look like that’s likely to change much soon. Have kept on top of things, tho.

    Question for those with eyes about the Kazmir mystery. Disregarding the almost-meaningless 7-3 W-L record, you’d think someone with this partial stat line

    97.2 IP 90 H 15 HR 39 BB 106 K .241 BAA 1.32 WHIP might pitch to better than a 4.52 ERA and go much deeper into games.

    From some quotes I’ve seen his mental game and focus may not be the best. Averaging over a K per inning says his stuff is good. And there was hope he’d fixed his first-inning troubles with a simulated inning before taking the mound start before last when he did do better. Then last night, pffftttt.

    Does he just lose command all of a sudden and groove pitches, as the dinger total might indicate? Other ideas? He really needs to step up and go deeper in games. But, pfffftttt…

  2. What’s everybody’s first impression of Toles? I think he did good especially considering this was his first start in Dodger Stadium.

    • Quite a leap for a fellow who was out of baseball in 2015, started the year in A ball and only 8 games at AAA. His speed helped him to recover from some misreads and almost reach some well-hit balls.

  3. Pederson not returning immediately after All Star Game. Now saying he dislocated his shoulder.

    Thompson not exactly taking Pederson’s job from him.

  4. So Kazmir’s unbeaten streak is now at eleven! (not quite comparable to Strasburg’s 12-0 record going into ASG).

  5. Fer Heaven’s sake, three dingers by a guy hitting under .200 at the start of the game!

    In fact, going 5-5 put him just above the Mendoza line at .204.

    • Just warming up for the HR derby I guess. Cause the “ruining your swing” narrative can never start too early.

  6. I think I know who the player of the game could be. Maybe. Potentially. Certainly.

    • Or now I guess I could say the Dodgers are getting some tough errors tonight.

  7. Baez – 2 pitches 3 outs over two different innings. He could teach our starters a thing or two!

  8. Checking the box score I see that Cashner has the very rare negative game score. At -12 it doesn’t matter whether you are talking Celcius or Farenheit – either way he was cold.

  9. Hardest throw by Howell tonight was him throwing his glove after getting pulled.

  10. In other news – do you think the Mets are concerned about their starting pitchers? Yikes for them.

    • Harvey’s done for the year. Thor and Matz both have serious problems. So I’d say, yeah.

      • Thor did alright tonight, though the Mets lost to the Nats 1-3. Strasburg was lights out and went deep in the game with a no-no. Now 12-0.

  11. I wanted to see Grandal hit his third straight dinger, but I loved the bunt nevertheless.

  12. Good news (Grandal and Dodgers are raking); bad news (another bullpen game).

  13. Oh baby. I’m truly not a fair-weather fan but this does feel good.

  14. Oh the poor bullpen. That phone is going to start ringing again soon.

  15. Note that the Dodgers have a new starting CF tonight in callup Andrew Toles, who’s made a meteoric rise through the organization since signing with LA after sitting out last year entirely. Major speed.

      • He has been playing a lot with Joc out so a chance to give him a rest with the righty on the mound, would be my guess.

    • I guess!

      Toles has combined to hit .330 with 52 runs, 99 hits, 23 doubles, five
      triples, six home runs, 37 RBI and 23 steals in 32 attempts across the
      three levels. He leads Dodger minor leaguers in hits, doubles and stolen
      bases.