Dodgers at Padres, 1:40 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD
The Dodgers ask LHP Alex Wood (14-1, 2.41 ERA) to help them salvage a split in this series, while the Padres ask RHP Jhoulys Chacin (11-10, 4.03 ERA) to help pull off an unlikely series win.
Wood is coming off the disabled list where he’d been with an irritated sternum; he’s been given a cortisone injection. Despite that he’s having a career year. Chacin has been unable to get past the fifth inning in his last four starts but has limited the opposition to one run in three of them.
Seager and Bellinger have not been in the lineup together since August 19. The Dodgers are averaging 3.14 runs-per-game in the two weeks since.
This day in Dodgers history:
- 1917 Grover Cleveland Alexander goes the distance in both games of the Phillies’ doubleheader sweep of Brooklyn at Ebbets Field. In his 18 innings of work, the Philadelphia right-hander limits the Dodgers to seven hits en route to posting 5-0 and 9-3 victories in the twin bill.
- 1978 At Dodger Stadium, Lee Mazzilli becomes the first Mets player to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in a game. The center fielder’s first and seventh inning blasts, respectively hit off southpaw Tommy John and right-hander Charlie Hough, pace the last-place club to an 8-5 victory.
Lineup when available.
Today's Dodger lineup at Padres:
Taylor SS
Granderson LF
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Grandal C
Puig RF
Verdugo CF
Forsythe 2B
Wood P pic.twitter.com/orVa7UOotU— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 3, 2017
NPUT
Things could be much worse… https://twitter.com/davelozo/status/904732103098675200
How long has it been since we’ve said ‘Glad the Dodgers are out of San Diego!’???
Puig has generated WAR 3.3 this year, more than double that of the past two years combined. While his oWAR is 1.5, exactly double, his defense has contributed 1.4, as opposed to only 0.2. The rest is from improved base running.
Doc saying he’s still expecting to win, even playing 5 rookies Saturday, and doesn’t wanna kill the starters: http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/252222602/roberts-dodgers-not-easing-up-with-big-lead/
Okay, I am now going to exercise while watching two teams I don’t care about play. (NYY and BRS)
As WBBsAs says, there’s handegg. Although UCLA is getting smashed by Texas A&M.
Ye of little faith!
A&M ought to quit playing football after that debacle.
Handegg means naptime.
I know Joc isn’t hitting well, but I would feel badly for him if he isn’t called back up. Doc didn’t sound that hopeful today.
Imagine he stays until the end of the season there to get his reps, before rejoining the club.
Brewers only 1/2 back from Rockies for second wild card position. And the D-backs are 10 and 0. Wow.
Hopefully AZ and LA streaks end these next three games.
Exactly. Let’s sweep ’em!
8-18 from here on out gets us to 100 wins.
At least three of those series are vs. playoff-hopeful/bound teams. They should be interesting.
Hopefully not the same type of interesting as these last three series.
‘Stros need to go 17-9 to reach 100.
Very interested in how Doc approaches the Nats series (because I will be there!), as Dusty will be gunning for bear. Expect there to be a playoff atmosphere in the stadium. Depending on where we are by then, wouldn’t be surprised if Doc played possum and continued with his ways. Dusty would be fit to be tied. Why show them what we got.
That should be exciting for you .. . unless you get a game like I had yesterday with the AAA players — and Brock — starting. (Tho in retrospect, Stewart didn’t do that bad.)
I think a good chance is seeing AAA in one or two games at least.
Wow. That does take some of the sting out of today!
.500 gets us to 105.
Helps one appreciate even more all that they have done to get where they are!
UCLA football now on TV
Hey, thanks. Texas A&M should be a good season-opening test.
Hey scoop, hope you hung in there and watched the game to its end. Can you believe it?
Sincerely, thanks to everybody for your lively and thoughtful comments and your pleasant way of debating. You made today’s loss, and many in the recent past, much more tolerable. Until tomorrow night.
I concur.
This site is definitely a lifesaver, attitude-wise.
As I said before, the definition of friends applies: A place to double the joy and halve the sorrow.
Cheers–
Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got.
Taking a break from all your worries, sure would help a lot.
Wouldn’t you like to get away?
Sometimes you want to go
Where everybody knows your name,
and they’re always glad you came.
Beautiful. Cheers to you.
Been fun for what it was, another loss and all.
That truly sucked. I hated several of the umps’ calls, but the Padres just flat out out-pitched and out-hit us.
Seems like it’s (insert opposing team) for that statement.
Last several series, anyway.
Well, that was a lost weekend. San Diego’s a nice town, but not when it hosts events like this.
Lost fortnight.
At least they had a look at it . . .
If they call Puig out, truly out with a whimper.
Let’s have Verdugo get on and Forsythe hit a 3-run homer.
On the first pitch?
You are asking for too much, no?
I have seen your prodding work.
Whatever it takes.
That includes Dave heading back to China.
Didn’t hear today from WinnipegDave, did we? Maybe he’s busy packing.
Now THAT would be dedication!
Call should stand, I think.
Nice to hear Puig hustled on that, regardless of the outcome.
Puig has rather quietly had a good season. Not much drama this year.
Totally agree.
And such an asset in the field, regardless of what happens at the plate.
And many of us, including me, would not have been sad to see him dealt in the 2016-2017 off-season.
Add me to that club. It was said he was too much of a distraction.
I always liked him.
I liked his potential. Didn’t like his attitude — but now he seems open to learning.
Good hustle, Puig!
Good hustle, Puig!
Close but no cigar from Hernandez.
Great job, Bellinger! Too bad Castillo (who?) gave up two runs in the 7th.
“Who?” is a common response this weekend re the Dodgers.
True.
Sorry, Doc, but it was a bad decision to bring in Castillo.
And leaving him in there for so long.
he went 1 1/3 yesterday with two Ks.
Belli bomb!
His last two HRs were against lefties.
Belli!
Good for him . . . not much for this game, I don’t think.
Is there a higher level of baseball Bellinger wants to be promoted to?
We open a three-game series at home tomorrow vs. the Diamondbacks, who are about to be 13 1/2 games behind. Colorado then comes in for four.
What I call a “yike-fest.”
A last thought on OBP. Steve Sax was our second baseman in 1988, the last time we won the pennant (and the World Series). His OBP was .325, considerably lower than Forsythe’s .364 this season (before today). Who would you rather have play second base? Sax. One reason is that Sax hit .348 in the more significant (in my mind, at least) “late and close” category compared to Forsythe’s .196 this season (before today).
— except when he couldn’t throw to 1st!
(Darn. I was hoping no one would mention that.)
“please don’t hit it to me, or Saxy either”
One of baseball’s best all-time comments.
reminded of the Guerrero quip.
Still here. Hope is “the” thing with feathers. Or bats.
Thanks, Em!
Cingrani looked great!
Good inning by Tony C. — not that much was on the line.
Nice job by Avilan.
6 outs to go . . . are these gonna be quality at bats or what we’ve seen too often lately?
There’s your answer.
If they don’t pull this out, it’s three series losses in a row, including a 3-game sweep and a doubleheader sweep . . . by the Padres.
8 of 9 losses, most before the callups, so one would assume they were really trying to win those.
Pregame show, Mo said the players were frustrated and ready to score. The former probably true but that didn’t make it happen.
Can’t expect to flip a switch and win. I really want them to at least TRY to win, from the starting lineup to the in-game decisions.
Why is Roberts throwing a rookie reliever who has no chance of being on the post-season roster and who has kicked around in the minors for 12 seasons into a close and meaningful game?
At this point guessing that Doc feels like the only meaningful games are post-season ones.
Not sure I entirely agree.
Used 11 relievers yesterday. May want to save them for the Snakes.
First indication will be the lineup.
I really like Roberts, but as I — and others have written — one can’t expect to suddenly just winning just because you want to (and if they can, why haven’t they these last two weeks?).
If that IS his feeling, I can only assume that the players aren’t stressing and he’s not worried about mo factor.
But it’s one thing to lose 3 in a row to end the season when you have Koufax and Drysdale (as I believe was the case in ’63). Another when you have Kershaw and ??????.
Yes, i know there’s 4 weeks to go . . . but two weeks ago there were 6 and those two have stunk.
Winning is great and they are playing poorly right now for a variety of reasons, but momentum is not correlated with success in the post season.
I’m not in the clubhouse, but I know my confidence goes down when I’m not able to do what I did before. — in sports and other aspects.
I aso miss Joe Davis. Where is he?
Football duties.
For the rest of the season?
He knows something!
Weekends at the most.
Fox NCAA football commentator. Also does play-by-play on NFL regional games for Fox.
Okay this is like we are back to how we played in April, just like our season has been book ended by two bad months.
At least they ended April 2 games above .500.
Too late. What I have seen cannot be unseen.
Funny.
And sad.
If we can’t laugh, we’re lost — kind of my philosophy since Jan. 20.
But but but…this was my happy place!
Is Roberts testing the fans’ mettle?
I may have to stop watching.
“To thine own self be true.”
Forsooth.
Yeah, it might be back to the western again.
And it wasn’t a good western.
This isn’t a good game.
Hopefully it’ll change. But go for it — maybe that’ll work!
Apparently this string of horrendous games started close to the publication of the SI issue asking if this team is the best ever.
The UNLV football team was favored by 45 points last night . . . and lost by 3, considered perhaps the worst loss against the spread ever.
There’s something to say for coming in under the radar.
I worried the minute I saw that cover. I am such a magical thinker.
You generally end up on the cover of SI when you are at the apex. There is no place to go but down. The Dodgers are but the latest example of that. Sadly.
And Liberty, another FCS school, beat Baylor yesterday. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving athletic department.
Well this is fun. Second and third, no out. Padres are thoroughly out-playing us this series.
More fun — bases loaded.
When Forsythe is up, I think “why not save us time and put up the 0-2?” Okay, I run the risk of breaking a rule here, so I will cease and desist from any more Forsythe complaints. For today.
During this stretch, I think that rule can be relaxed.
Funny, this stretch started with that “interesting game,” also connected with the rules.
Think about John Forsythe instead.
Fact is that Logan has an OPS+ of 128 with 2 outs RISP and 115 in high leverage situations, which are much better than his overall OPS+ of 87.
Bob, you are letting alternate facts get in the way of our thinking.
— our feelings, and his recent production.
Bob, and I mean this sincerely, I think that his “late and close” average is a better indication of his ability to contribute. However, we can agree to disagree.
Players contribute in a lot of different ways. You chose this indicator because it sums up how you feel about him, but it does not sum up his contributions to the team no matter how far under expectations they may be.
Oh man do I dislike Forsythe right now.
Sign me up for that club.
Let me count the ways. (Acknowledging possible Rule 7 and Rule 8 violations.)
So much for that.
When I heard it was Forsythe batting, my stomach sunk.
OK, Forsythe, prove me wrong.
Monday talking about all the strikes Forsythe takes.
I think I would faint if he swung at the first strike.
If only he would have taken that last one.
This has worked before!
What a remarkable at bat by Forsythe.
Well, you did leave a remark.
Trust me, I haven’t reach my opinion of Forsythe quickly. It was been developed over a long season. Prior to that at bat, he was batting in .196 in the “late and close” category. That is when you come up in the 7th inning or later and your team is tied, ahead by one run or the tying run is at least on deck.
I like that stat. Not Forsythe’s, but the metric itself.
I think that it is a very telling metric. It is a way of gauging who is and who isn’t a clutch hitter, which otherwise is often a subjective perspective.
Agree.
Cash in on this, bats! Like the days of yestermonth!
Baseball gods finally taking pity?
Bumgarner gave up three HRs, 5 ERs, in six innings for the Giants today. But he did hit a homer. Cards leading 7-3 in the 8th, Matt Moore making his first relief appearance of the season. Old friend Federowicz, now catching for the Giants, just homered.
Fedex?
Puig doubles!
Did you HEAR that hit? I’m listening to the radio and it was hit like a shot. Wow that was loud.
Did it on a low and away slider as well.
Yay!
Pop fly triple! We will take it!
Flexing the muscle.
Tee-hee.
Loved the head down, disappointed slow trot out of the box followed by the happy Adrenalin that took him to third.
Belli!
“Lets go, Dodgers!”
Was fun joining the spontaneous cheering of that at Petco yesterday, then having Padres fans trying to drown us out on the last word. I turned and looked at one such fan and we both smiled. . . . As long as we can all still do that, I think I can remember it’s still just a game. And that IS all it is.
Chacin swinging for the fences on that one!
Silver lining? Wood going six, looks like.
And better run production than Friday night (sheesh, 8 hits, 1 run).
Guys, you have to protect against that outside pitch. He’s consistently calling them!
I really want a comeback win here. Can you tell?
I’d like any kind of win again.
No, I’d like several of them bunched together.
Nice slider, Wood!
First time I’ve heard Nomar say, “You still have to make sure you are in the post-season…”
Statistically, it should be a given.
But statistics mean nothing in any given game . . . and the Dodges have played two weeks of those games.
I would say two runs, no problem. Except, it’s suddenly a problem.
Oh come on. Our starting pitchers have suddenly hit a really rough patch.
Anybody out there, or amI griping to myself? I don’t blame you guys, just asking.
I’m here, but I’m on the second load of laundry and still have a dishwasher to empty. Then I have to wash myself.
I am here but am watching a western movie and only glance at gameday from time to time.
What western?
Rancho Notorious. Just a movie we taped yesterday. Its raining here and a good day to watch old movies. We will probably switch over to the Dodger game and watch it for awhile.
Given how the Dodgers are playing, Bad Day at Black Rock seems more appropriate.
Ha!
Thanks, I needed that.
I was trying to be productive and take a nap after checking here and not seeing much encouraging (before scoring).
I DID sleep, but apparently so did Wood . . . and the bats awoke, then back to their coma.
Can’t the pitching coach talk to Forsythe? Is he too “veteran” to correct, or what?
You know how I feel about Forsythe, so no further comment.
Like I said…
All season we have had only one “automatic out,” and that is Forsythe.
Not true. He actually makes less outs than most of his teammates.
Is that true? I feel like he strikes out all the time!
Fifth in Ks, but leads team in BB. I comment on his ranking in OBP below. Agree that not a lot of fun to watch and underperforming as regards expectations on the power side.
And again we are hitting them hard but right at them. They are hitting them hard and out, or where we are not.
CT3!
No eyes. What was delay?
Pads arguing over whether Myers’ throw went into dugout or not. Hedges was in the dugout when he retrieved it.
This game appears to be turning around.
And turning back.
Wood is not long for this game. 70% humidity and 52 pitches without an out in the third inning.
Wood melts in heat?
And Baez spontaneously combusts.
Oh good god, every hit for the Padres is lucky, every one for us is unlucky. Just the way it is.
Well, two of those balls on Wood’s latest walk were called strikes for Chacin, if Gameday Is to be believed. On further review, maybe not.
Wood’s velocity is up, but so are his pitches. Best when he is getting the ball down.
I need to calm down. It’s hotter than Hades in L.A. and I woke up grumpy to begin with.
Maybe somebody should wake up Doc, based on some of the lineups he has trotted out there lately. It’s not just using three callups together but batting Forsythe leadoff? I would rather have Pederson, who is still at OKC, playing CF than Verdugo.
Logan is third on the team among the regulars in OBP, which is what a leadoff hitter is supposed to do. Joc is trying to work out some issues on the farm. Doc is awake and following a plan of resting and testing personnel and match ups.
I know that there are Forsythe supporters out there, and I respect that. I simply am just not one of them. Regarding Forsythe’s OBP, it is good for a leadoff man, But he rarely bats leadoff, and I don’t think that he should. His OPS, which I think is more relevant given where he generally bats — fifth or below — is .683 and lower than those of Turner, Bellinger, Taylor, Barnes, Seager, Puig, Grandal, Pederson, Hernandez and Utley. That is my big concern with Forythe. I acknowledge that Pederson has not regained his stroke in the PCL.
Logan not a bad option in a lineup that didn’t feature CT, Seager or Chase in the first game of a doubleheader. One might argue that the main element of his OPS is getting on base, so good to have guys following him who do better in the SLG part of the equation than the OBP part.
He might be more valuable hitting 8th to reduce the odds of the pitcher leading off or allowing the pitcher to bunt him over.
Two pitches, two outs. Really?
I am ready for our starting pitchers to have a few clean innings.
And to have significantly lower pitch counts.
I imagine they and Roberts and Honeycutt feel exactly the same.
Need those two kids healthy and in the lineup, but power outage has been deeper. Seager had his hitting streak, but injury sapped him of his power. He as well as Taylor and Turner all OPSed around .700 during this period, about .200 lower than normal.
Rain?
Maybe.
No such luck.
Funny.
And sad.