Padres at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD
Kenta Maeda (7-6, 3.07 ERA) goes for the Dodgers and Christian Friedrich (4-4, 4.42 ERA) for the Friars. Friedrich’s had a rough last month, giving up at least four earned runs in each of his past four starts. This after giving up only eight earned runs in all of his first six. Maeda had his worst start of the season his last time out against the Orioles, lasting just four innings and allowing four runs on seven hits.
Lineup when available.
Today's Dodger lineup:
Kendrick 2B
Seager SS
Turner 3B
González 1B
Puig RF
Thompson CF
Grandal C
Van Slyke LF
Maeda P— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 10, 2016
Vinnie is taking the day off.
NPUT @ 0930 HST
Did you find a TV?
Yes! I was all set to buy a 32″ Samsung flat screen LCD TV when my sister said she had exactly that sitting in her garage. It had been replaced by a larger one a year or so ago. Hey, free is better than $180, so we took it. I did spent $20 on two HDMI cables, one for it and one for the TV in the kitchen, and another $20 on a monitor riser to raise the new (used) one up on the stand the old Sony stood on. It was a Sony stand meant just for that TV, but with the riser it looks okay for the moment.
Now your only worry is earthquakes (or, in Hawai’i) tsunamis.
https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/753786260255182848
https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/753755257373495296
Logjam of starters with Anderson lurking out there as well. Wood to the pen as they watch how McCarthy and Ryu do? Norris? As for the pen, itself, Yimi on his way back. Baez and Fien have options and Hatch is everyone’s favorite DFA candidate at this point.
Hopefully, some of these guys will be able to go a bit deeper into games now.
Jon’s take on the pen’s vital role in the team’s bounceback:
“Dodger relievers lead the Major Leagues with a 2.83 ERA. They lead the Major Leagues with a 1.02 WHIP.
“In fact, as Dodger broadcaster Joe Davis pointed out, the Dodger bullpen’s opponents batting average of .192 is currently the lowest in modern baseball history. The team’s WHIP is the lowest in NL history.
“That’s extraordinary.”
http://dodgers.mlblogs.com/2016/07/13/how-the-revitalized-bullpen-keyed-dodgers-surge/
http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/2016/07/12/has-yasmani-grandal-turned-the-corner/
http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/2016/07/11/dieter-ruehle-is-more-than-just-the-new-dodger-stadium-organist/
Ha! I noticed when the organist played “Let It Be” when Bucky was contemplating whether the challenge the call or not.
Alternatively, he could have played “Let It Bleed.”
I know we are too hip and cool to care but Seager is over and out in the HR derby. Lost 16-15 in the first round. I’m guessing some hitters won’t even get to 15 in their rounds.
The derby, at least, doesn’t pretend to be anything more than an exhibition.
Good point. And to be honest, my 10 year old – and the 10 year old in me – enjoyed watching Stanton absolutely mashing the ball.
The game itself is utterly unwatchable, and I won’t even bother to check Gameday.
I enjoy watching the game for the interactions among the players and to see AL guys. What I can’t stand is that it determines home field for the ASG. (BTW, I would have had Seager face Miller, who was struggling a bit).
Frankly, the most routine spring training game is more absorbing than the ASG – at least, at spring games, individual players have something at stake.
Now, though, the point is to get everybody into the game. Nowadays, you’d pull Willie Mays after the third inning.
Bud’s idea was actually meant to reduce playing players just because they are on the roster. Doesn’t seem to have worked out that way.
The roster is already far too big. The requirement to choose one player from every team is absurd. So is choosing every player from one team, as Cubbie fans did this year.
In case you were worried about Maeda’s ability to keep the wolf from the door: “when Maeda went over the 100-inning mark for the season during Sunday’s outing, it triggered a $250,000 bonus.”
So it’s the beginning of silly season where rumours will be flying about different players being traded. First up – Puig. https://t.co/RIMC3zors9
Same source, same rumor discussed in a previous thread. Boo on MLB trade rumors for lack of originality.
Guessing that other than Kershaw and Seager the Dodgers are probably willing to discuss trading players if it is to their advantage (Kemp was always supposedly on the trading block and it did happen eventually) Trading offense for pitching however, wouldn’t make much sense in the short term, as the team ranks fourth in runs allowed, but only 11th in runs scored and appear to have a full stable of starters even before Wood and Anderson return, and with Kershaw back soon (Maeda, Kazmir, McCarthy, Norris, Ryu). Might imagine that they could look for reinforcements in the pen, but the answer for now seems to be to have Urias out there.
BTW, running ledger for Kemp (WAR 0.3) and Grandal (2.4) on contributions to their teams since that trade.
So is it frowned upon to make trades during the All Star break, like it is with a World Series?
Am guessing yes.
I missed today’s game again, but had some good wine and barbecue in Sonoma. It sounds as if Kenley struggled a bit.
Ready to pull out my hair over Bumgarner’s performance so far. Muy interesante over 7.
Thank you, Jake Lamb, but you and your teammates should be doing so much more!
Whew! See Everyone after our All Star break. It is not really an All Star game anyway, It is really The Cubs vs the AL.
Ha!
There hasn’t been real ASG, one worth watching, since 1994. This has become my summer sabbatical from baseball.
Great game.
That got a bit nerve-racking at the end there.
Woo-HOO!!!!
https://youtu.be/qpGx4foRdPw
We win!
Last batter for Jansen clearly.
KJ nearing 25 pitches.
And he’s going to the ASG so no time off till after that.
Jansen pitching as slow as Baez usually does.
I’m sure Kenley feels differently, but I would be just as happy to have him not pitch in the ASG. But I would expect he will get in the game.
I would agree.
Jansen vs Kemp. Game on the line.
Dag. Come on Jansen.
On to the ninth. Bring it on home Kenley.
Pinch hitter and then the top of the order.
Thompson might benefit from some time off as well.
Agreed. Wonder how long Joc will be out for? Will he be back before Ethier?
Conflicting reports on how serious the injury is, so I am not sure if he will beat Either back.
Blanton with a quick eighth!
I love these last two quick innings. Now we need some insurance runs.
Or another shutdown bullpen performacne would work too.
Seager cooling off a bit this past week. Perhaps a rest will do him some good (much reduced because of his ASG involvement – but still).
I noticed the same thing.
Maesa is just what the Dodger doctors ordered.
Another wasted opportunity. I hope Maeda has enough left in his tank to get us through a couple more innings.
I would take even one more full inning.
I would as well.
Double digit K’s for Kenta!
3 k’s this inning and 12 through 6 innings.
Hard to believe that is only Gonzo’s 7th HR. But great to see him coming back alive along with some of the other vets.
A-Gon!
Great inning and wonderful start to the game for Maeda.
And now back to leaving a couple of runners on base.
I dislike leaving a runner on third, but at least we were able to manage a run out of all of this.
Just going to say: 4 LOB through 2 innings is just 2 under the maximum – that’s a lot.
And now 6 LOB through 3 innings. They are on pace for 18 through 9 – or (“hopefully”) 16 through 8.
Kendrick has really been hitting hot recently. Love how this team has been getting stronger even through all the injuries.
Also, it helps to play the Padres.