Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

Sep 10

Game 141, 2016

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Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

Lefty Rich Hill (11-3, 1.94 ERA) makes his third start for the Dodgers. In his first two he’s thrown 12 scoreless innings. He’ll face RHP Tom Koehler (9-10, 3.87 ERA), who hasn’t won since August 9 but whose last outing was six shutout innings against Cleveland on September 4.

Personnel move:

“Manager Dave Roberts said Ethier will get an occasional start, but with the club’s outfield depth, Ethier will mostly be used coming off the bench as a late-innings pinch-hitter.”

Lineup:

Hmm. Utley gets the day off and Kendrick is back at 2B for the first time in a while. His LF slot will be taken by Puig.

Sep 09

Game 140, 2016

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Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F, MLBN free game (out-of-market only)

Today marks the return of Clayton Kershaw after 75 days or so of inaction while he recovered from a herniated disk in his back. He was having a career year (11-2, 1.79 ERA) before the injury, which is saying something considering how good his first 8 years were. His opponent will be the Marlins’ own ace, Jose Fernandez (13-8, 3.03 ERA). Fernandez is even better at home: 10-2 with a 1.91 ERA at Marlins Park this year.

Chase Utley, who’s played 177 games against the Marlins in his career, has hit 30 HRs and gotten 125 RBIs against them.

Lineup when available.

Sep 07

Game 139, 2016

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

The Dodgers send RHP Brock Stewart (0-2, 7.94 ERA) to the hill to pitch against LHP Robbie Ray (7-12, 4.46 ERA). These two guys’ last starts couldn’t have been more different. Stewart threw five scoreless inning against the Cubs, while Ray had four uneventful innings against the Rockies before they scored six runs against him in the fifth. Ray is a strikeout pitcher, averaging 11 Ks per nine innings. Most of Stewart’s ERA is the result of a performance against the Rockies in Denver when he gave up 9 earned runs in four innings.

This is the final game of the homestand for the Dodgers. They play Miami on Friday when Kershaw makes his first start in two months. They move on from Miami to New York and Yankee Stadium and then to Arizona before returning to Dodger Stadium for their final two home series of the year.

Lineup:

Note that A-Gon has the night off, barring pinch-hitting duties.

Sep 06

Game 138, 2016

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

The D-Backs send out RHP Shelby Miller, who has disappointed them this season. He and Greinke were the two big acquisitions the team made to bolster their pitching staff last offseason, and Miller’s 2-10, 6.81 ERA record is not at all what management had in mind when they got him. He’ll face another righty, Ross Stripling (3-6, 4.16 ERA). The Dodgers’ expectations of him were not highly publicized at the start of the year. He’s had trouble recently: he’s winless in his last four starts and has an 5.09 ERA over that period, but the Dodgers haven’t hit much behind him.

Lineup:

Sep 05

Game 137, 2016

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Today sees Zack Greinke’s (12-4, 4.17 ERA) return to Dodger Stadium to face Kenta Maeda (13-8, 3.38 ERA). Greinke beat the Dodgers in Phoenix on July 13 while Maeda has seen the D-Backs four times this year, going 1-1 with a 3.68 ERA with 20 strikeouts against just three walks. He’s been on a roll recently, going 5-1 in his last seven starts while posting a 3.71 ERA.

Scoreboard watch: the Giants play the Rockies in Denver at 1:10PM PT.

In case you missed it, here’s a great throw (Pederson) and tag (Utley) from yesterday’s game:

Lineup when available.

Sep 04

Game 136, 2016

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Padres at Dodgers, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

The Padres send LHP Christian Friedrich (4-10, 4.84 ERA) out to face the Dodgers’ #2 prospect, Jose De Leon, possessor of a 2.61 ERA at AAA Oklahoma City. He’ll be the fifth rookie to start for the Dodgers in the past week, hard as that may be to imagine. Friedrich will be making his third start against the Dodgers this season, and he’s given up five earned runs in the 8 1/3 innings he’s pitched in those starts.

Kershaw news: Roberts tells Alanna Rizzo Kershaw will start against the Marlins on Friday.

Lineup:

Sep 03

Game 135, 2016

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Padres at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

The Dodgers ask lefty Rich Hill (10-3, 2.09 ERA) to make his second start for them. Lingering blister troubles kept him off the mound for a month after he was acquired at the trade deadline. He’ll face RHP Luis Perdomo (7-7, 5.84 ERA). The rookie pitched his first complete game his last time out and got six double plays in the game to help him do it. That shouldn’t have been a surprise; his ground ball rate is 60%, the highest in the NL.

Kershaw is pitching a three-inning or 50-pitch rehab start for Rancho Cucamonga today.

Lineup when available.

Sep 02

Game 134, 2016

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

Young Julio Urias (5-2, 3.71 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers and Clayton Richard (1-3, 3.51 ERA) does so for the Padres. Urias is probably nearing his last start for the Dodgers because of a desire to limit his work and save his arm this season (he’s never thrown more than 87 innings in a single season before, and he’s thrown 108 thus far this season), but he’s been getting better with every start. Richard has done the same for the Padres; after signing with them in early August he’s made three starts and given up only two earned runs in 18 innings.

Here’s some news: among the other callups and activations today (Barnes, Coleman and more)

Lineup when available.

Aug 31

Games 132 and 133, 2016

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Dodgers at Rockies, Game One, 12:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

Game Two, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

The postponement of Tuesday’s rainout till today means the Dodgers will pitch Ross Stripling (3-5, 4.13 ERA) in the opener and Rich Hill in the nightcap at 5:10PM PT. Stripling will face Tyler Anderson, who was the scheduled starter on Tuesday before the rainout. Hill will face rookie Jeff Hoffman, (0-2, 8.10 ERA).

Lineup, Game One:

Lineup, Game Two:

Aug 30

Game 132, 2016

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Dodgers at Rockies, 5:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

It’s a battle of lefties tonight. The Dodgers send Rich Hill (10-3, 2.09 ERA) out for his second start since being acquired at the trade deadline, and the Rockies counter with Tyler Anderson (4-5, 3.69 ERA). In his first outing for the Dodgers Hill went six scoreless innings against the Giants; in his last start Anderson gave up two runs in five innings against the Brewers.

Lineup: