Game 49, 2019

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Dodgers at Rays, 4:10 PM PDT, TV: Fox Sports Sun, SPNLA

It’ll be Dodger LHP Clayton Kershaw (3-0, 3.40 ERA) versus some guy named TBD of the Rays. This will be the second (!) time Kershaw has faced the Rays in his career. The first was six years ago when he gave up one run and struck out eight in eight innings of an 8-2 Dodgers win.

Does it strike anyone else odd that Kershaw’s ERA in May is above 3.00? It looks weird to me.

More on Kenley Jansen and his cutter-love from Houston Mitchell of the Times:

Rick Honeycutt put it this way: “Truth of the matter [is] we want Kenley to pitch more. We want him to use his two-seam. We want him to use his slider. He throws the cutter to both sides so … everybody says, ‘What’s the big deal? You only got two pitches. Your cutter, slider.’ Well, he doesn’t. He’s got more than that.”

Jansen throws his cutter 85% of the time. This season, hitters are batting .254 against Jansen’s cutter. Last season, they hit .185.

So, on one side, you have those who wish Jansen would use all his pitches, and on the other side you have Jansen, who owes his success to his cutter and is not willing to give up on it so quickly.

Mitchell also had fun with the question: “If you wanted to pit an all-time L.A. Dodgers team against an all-time Angels team, how would you pick the players? One way is by using the Wins Above Replacement stat, or WAR.” So he does the work and lists the two best starters for each team at each position except pitcher. He lists five starters and four relievers. Startlingly, the best Dodger relief pitcher is not named Jansen or Gagne. Nope, by WAR it’s…Jim Brewer. Take a look.

Urias has been reinstated by MLB but the investigation continues. LAPD has not pressed charges. To make room for him the Dodgers sent OF Kyle Garlick back to OKC.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1927 For the second consecutive day, an umpire at Ebbets Field is the target of fan abuse. Arbitrator Frank Wilson needs a police escort after the Robins (Dodgers) drop a twin bill to the Cubs.
  • 1952 The Dodgers score a major league record fifteen first-inning runs en route to a 19-1 rout over the Reds at Ebbets Field. After Ewell Blackwell retires the first batter, the next 19 Brooklyn batters reached base (10 hits, 7 walks, and 2 HBP), including Pee Wee Reese getting to first base three times during the frame.
  • 1963 Jim Maloney ties a major league record shared by Max Surkont (1953 Braves) and Johnny Podres (1962 Dodgers) when he strikes out eight consecutive batters, beginning with the last out in the first inning, in the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Milwaukee at County Stadium. The Cincinnati right-hander also equals the franchise mark with 16 strikeouts in one game, established by Noodles Hahn in 1901.
  • 2000 Major League Baseball has its first six grand-slam day less than one year after establishing the mark with five, with Garret Anderson (Angels), J.T. Snow (Giants), Brian Hunter (Phillies), Jason Giambi (A’s), and Adrian Beltre and Shawn Green (Dodgers) all contributing to the record. The NL also set a league record, blasting four of the six base-loaded homers.

Lineup when available.


104 thoughts on “Game 49, 2019”

  3. Random morning thought – I’d like to see a rematch of the 1965 Series.

  4. Snakes lose to Pads again, so both teams are now seven games behind Dodgers. Rox win and are still 9.5 games out, but the Barves blew one to the Gnats, who remain 10 out.

      • Thanks to an extraordinary run of good fortune – they’re truly awful. Also, you misspelled “Gnats” again.

  6. Snakes lose to Pads again, so both teams are now seven games behind Dodgers. Rox win and are still 9.5 games out, while Gnats are losing and should be 11 out after tonight.

      • The pace for April, when we had the 6 game losing streak, was 98 wins. So even when they are “bad” they are good.

  22. I’d like to see this Tampa Bay reliever pitch against Tyler Wade of the Yankees.

  31. Oh man, that looked and sounded like his knee got hammered – maybe something even broken. Great, just when Petey has been so lights out.

  33. Hopefully Petey can shut them down. If so, Klayton at ERA 2.93 versus career March/April of 2.90. Given that he didn’t start until the 18th game of the season, he seems to be on track.

  34. Adames has struck out twice in two ABs vs. Kershaw. Leave Clayton in there.

  36. Perhaps we can improve on our small ball record. What are they, 2-9, when they don’t get a dinger?

  45. Suddenly Kersh isn’t getting the close pitch calls for strikes. But he gets another K anyway!

  49. Klayton has always been a slow starter. His career March/April ERA is highest at 2.90. So there is that.

  51. Wow! I hit a triple like that once… in my first ever little league game.

  52. Again, optimum results on yesterday’s off-day: Snakes lose to Pads, so Dodger lead is now six full games (though Pads gain half a game and are now just one game behind the Snakes). Gnats lose to Barves, and now sit alone in NL West basement, ten games out. Rox idle.

  53. Anyone know why Pederson isn’t in the lineup tonight, in place of Beaty, for example?

    • Since the Devil Rays are using an “opener,” I suspect Roberts wants to see what happens thereafter before committing to Joc.

      • Ahh, thanks. I guess that’s why the lineup is a balance between lefty and righty bats.