Tag Archives: Alex Wood

May 26

Game 49, 2017

Posted on by

Cubs at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ABC 7, MLBN (out-of-market only)

The Cubbies come to LA for the only time this season. Tonight’s opener of the three-game series features the Cubs’ RHP Jake Arrieta (5-3, 4.80 ERA) returning to the scene of his first no-hitter in August of 2015. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Alex Wood (5-0, 1.88 ERA), who’s been far better than anyone thought he’d be going into the season.

Arrieta is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA in four career starts against the Dodgers, but in his last 16 innings he’s shut them out. Wood started against the Cubs in April, giving up two runs in 3 2/3 innings.

The Dodgers claimed infielder Mike Freeman and RHP Chris Heston from the Mariners and transferred Andrew Toles & Scott Kazmir to the 60-day DL.

Today in Dodgers’ history: Nothing unusual happened. In the pennant-winning year of 1974 the Dodgers beat the Giants 9-5 behind Doug Rau, with Mike Marshall going 3 1/3 innings to get his sixth save of the year. Elsewhere:

  • 1959 Pirates’ hurler Harvey Haddix pitches 12 perfect innings, but loses 1-0 to the Braves in the 13th inning. The heart-breaking winning run scores on a Don Hoak error, a sacrifice, a walk, and a two-bagger by Joe Adcock. A subsequent rules change stupidly removes this game from baseball’s list of no-hitters (Ed.).
  • 1993 Carlos Martinez hits a fly ball to Jose Canseco that caroms off the Ranger outfielder’s head over the fence for a home run. The fourth inning solo homer will prove to be the difference when the Indians edge Texas at Cleveland Stadium, 7-6. (Video)

Lineup when available.

May 19

Game 43, 2017

Posted on by

Marlins at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-F

The Marlins have caught on too: they’re trotting out YALHP Justin Nicolino (0-0, 1.50 ERA). He was just promoted from AAA and gave up one run in six innings against the Braves last week. On April 27, 2016 he threw 7 1/3 shutout innings against the Dodgers in his first start of the year. He’ll face the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (4-0, 2.27 ERA), the reigning NL Player of the Week. Part of Wood’s success can be attributed to a 37.4-percent strikeout rate over the last 30 days, second only to Red Sox ace Chris Sale.

This day in Dodgers history:

  • Nothing involving the Dodgers was very notable, but a future Dodger made his MLB debut on this date in:
  • 1984 Joining the club in St. Louis, Eric Davis makes his major league debut, grounding out to short as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning of the Reds’ 9-1 loss to the Redbirds. The 22 year-old rookie is forced to wear a numberless jersey when Cincinnati forgets to pack an extra road uniform. That seems emblematic of all the good he did the Dodgers when he played for them in 1992-1993

The Dodgers and JT dodged a serious bullet: his hamstring is merely strained. They’ve put him on the 10-day DL and brought up Eibner.

Lineup when available.

May 13

Game 37, 2017

Posted on by

Dodgers at Rockies, 5:00 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTRM

Lefty Alex Wood (3-0, 2.73 ERA) pitches for the Dodgers against lefty Tyler Anderson (2-3, 6.69 ERA). Anderson was scheduled to pitch the opening game of the series on Thursday but was pushed back because of leg soreness. Coors Field is not Wood’s favorite place to pitch: he’s 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in four starts and he’s allowed 20 earned runs in 16 innings there. Anderson is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts spanning 10 innings against the Dodgers this season.

What do pitching coaches do? Well:

“He’d gotten in a bad habit,” Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said of Wood’s time in Atlanta, when his velocity was about 4 mph slower than it is now. “His arm slot had really dropped. Didn’t have the angle with the fastball. We revamped his delivery more to what it was when he first got to the big leagues out of college, and he’s really been able to stay on that.”

Today in Dodgers history:

  • 1947 During the pre-game infield practice, a barrage of racial slurs is directed at Jackie Robinson by the Cincinnati fans during the Dodgers’ first visit to Crosley Field this season. Brooklyn shortstop Pee Wee Reese, a Southerner from Kentucky with friends attending the game and captain of the team, engages the black infielder in conversation, and then put his arm around his teammate’s shoulder, a gesture that stuns and silences the crowd.
  • 1952 Larry Miggins hits the first of his two major league home runs, going deep off Preacher Roe in the fourth inning of the Cardinals’ 14-8 loss to the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. The round-tripper hit by the Bronx-born outfielder, who had once shared his dream of playing in big leagues during a prep school assembly with a buddy with aspirations to be a baseball broadcaster, is called by an overwhelmed Vin Scully, Brooklyn’s play-by-play announcer who had wondered that day with his friend “what the odds against that would be.”

Lineup when available.

May 08

Game 32, 2017

Posted on by

Pirates at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ROOTPIT

It’ll be righty Trevor Williams (1-1, 5.40 ERA) for the Bucs against Brandon McCarthy (3-0, 3.10 ERA) or Alex Wood (2-0, 3.28 ERA). Williams has been in the bullpen and hasn’t started since Spring Training, so he may be on an 80-pitch limit. Yesterday would have been McCarthy’s day to start. That had been pushed back a day due to a mysterious weight-room injury to his non-throwing shoulder but the rainout denied him that. Wood’s last game was April 26, when he made his third start.

Is Cody Bellinger the latest version of Eric Karros, who got a chance in 1992 and made the most of it?

Today in Dodgers history:

  • 1941 An Army-Navy Relief game between New York’s two National League teams raises over $60,000. Dolph Camilli’s homer is the difference in the Ebbets Field exhibition as the Dodgers edge the Giants, 7-6.

Lineup when available.

Wood’s doing the pitching and NL Player of the Week Cody Bellinger is playing 1B.

May 02

Game 28, 2017

Posted on by

Injury news:

The Dodgers are getting Pederson ready to return to the club Friday for the series opener against the Padres in San Diego.

“He’s going to DH tonight [at Rancho Cucamonga], go through that progression and hopefully if things go well we’ll see him on Friday,” Robert said. “He’ll take three at-bats tonight, so that’s exciting.”

The other walking wounded that we’ll see soon include:

Outfielder Franklin Gutierrez (hamstring) is scheduled to be activated before Tuesday’s game, Roberts said. Second baseman Logan Forsythe (broken toe) is expected to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday or Thursday.

Kazmir, Ravin and Segedin will be a while yet.

Ravin made his first rehab appearance with Rancho Cucamonga on Monday, striking out one and allowing one hit in a scoreless inning. He’s essentially starting Spring Training, Roberts said.

Kazmir threw a bullpen session over the weekend and is scheduled to remain in Los Angeles and throw again when the Dodgers leave for San Diego.

[snip]

Segedin is working out in Arizona at the Dodgers’ complex at Camelback Ranch Glendale. Roberts said a date for a rehab assignment for Segedin has not been set yet.

“He’s in Arizona right now doing some baseball activities, but he still says that it’s not right,” Roberts said. “I know, obviously, every day he’s getting better, but I think that with the time he’s missed, it’s still, once he starts, it’s going to be certainly a week of games at least to show that he’s healthy.”

If you’ve forgotten, Segedin injured a big toe and ligament in his very first plate appearance with the Dodgers on April 17.

Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, NBCS-BA

It’s a lefty matchup between the Giants’ Matt Moore (1-3, 4.80 ERA) and the Dodgers’ Alex Wood (1-0, 2.29 ERA). Moore held the Dodgers to one run on two hits over seven innings last Thursday and came up with no decision. He’s made 18 starts in his career with the Giants, and five of them have been against the Dodgers.

Wood pitched six shutout innings and allowed one hit Wednesday in San Francisco, also getting no decision. In his three starts this season he’s got a 3.14 ERA, and he’d no doubt like to have another good outing to persuade the Dodgers to keep hi in the starting rotation.

Lineup when available.

Note that Bellinger is at first base.

Apr 26

Game 22, 2017

Posted on by

In case you missed it, here’s the most amazing play of the year thus far:

Dodgers at Giants, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, NBC-Bay Area, MLBN (out-of-market only)

Lefty Alex Wood (1-0, 3.29 ERA) faces Johnny Cueto (3-1, 5.25 ERA) in Game Three of the four-game set. It might be Wood’s last start for a while, because of this news:

followed by this remark: “Roberts said Urias is up to stay.”

Lineup when available.

Roberts keeps switching batting orders around for reasons I don’t understand. Bellinger’s leading off? Toles was leading off and now he’s hitting eighth? Utley’s hitting 0-for April and yet he’s at second base?

Apr 21

Game 17, 2017

Posted on by

Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

There’s another lefty on the hill in this game, but for a change it’s the Dodgers’ pitcher. Alex Wood (1-0, 1.00 ERA, 8K) takes the injured Rich Hill’s spot tonight against the D-Backs’ righty Taijuan Walker (2-1, 3.94, 16K). Wood has made one previous start this season. He went 3 2/3 innings against the Cubs on April 10, walked five, struck out four and gave up only one earned run. He’s pitched an additional 5 1/3 innings of relief this year. Walker allowed one run in five innings with seven strikeouts against the Dodgers on April 16 and got the win.

Lineup when available.

Apr 10

Game 8, 2017

Posted on by

Dodgers at Cubs, 5:10PM PT, TV: ESPN (No SPNLA today)

It’ll be lefty Alex Wood (0-0, 0.00 ERA) making the start for the Dodgers, replacing Rich Hill (on the 10-day DL with a blister). Wood has made one appearance this year, against the Padres April 5. He threw two scoreless innings in relief of Hill in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win that day.

He’ll face lefty Jon Lester (0-0, 1.80 ERA), who went five-plus innings on Opening Day against the Cardinals in a game the Cubs eventually lost 4-3. Lester’s only 33, but it feels like he’s been around forever. He’s 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA in five career regular-season starts against the Dodgers.

The Cubs get their World Series rings and the Championship banner today, and that’s nice, but Dave Roberts is less than enthusiastic:

“Is it inspiring to see? No,” he said. “I think it’s great for the Cubs and great for their fans, and it’s been a long time coming. But for our guys to be on the line for 45 minutes to watch the rings when it’s 40 degrees, I don’t know how inspiring that will be.”

Lineup when available.

Joc starting against this left-hander.

Mar 29

Freeway Series begins

Posted on by

The Dodgers and Angels put on their annual Freeway Series three-game show to end spring training for both teams starting Friday night. Opening Day is Monday, April 3 against the Padres at Dodger Stadium.

Brandon McCarthy earned the #4 spot in the rotation. He’ll be preceded by Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda and Rich Hill and followed by Hyun-jin Ryu. At least that’s the plan today.

Roberts added that Alex Wood, a finalist for the rotation, would share the long relief role with Ross Stripling. Rounding out the bullpen are closer Kenley Jansen, set-up man Sergio Romo, Grant Dayton, Luis Avilan and Chris Hatcher.

Barnes will likely be the backup catcher, although that’s not been formally announced. Kiké Hernandez hurt his wrist the other day and is questionable for the backup infielder spot until he shows it’s healed. If he can’t go, it’ll probably be Chris Taylor, and that might mean Van Slyke stays up too, since he can play center field and Taylor doesn’t. Additionally,

The Dodgers trimmed the roster before leaving Arizona on Wednesday, sending out seven players. Infielder Rob Segedin was optioned and reassigned were outfielders Tyler Holt and O’Koyea Dickson, pitcher Brandon Morrow, first basemen Cody Bellinger and Ike Davis, and infielder Charlie Culberson.

Feb 13

Spring Training begins this week!

Posted on by

“It’s a doggy-dog world out there.” I have seen that written on the Internet more times than I care to mention, and it apparently applies to the Dodgers’ starting rotation competition this spring. There are seven proven pitchers trying to fit into the two spots for fourth and fifth starters. Kershaw, Hill and Maeda look to be locks for the first three slots, but after that you’ve got McCarthy, Wood, Kazmir, Ryu, Stripling, Stewart and Urias hunting for work.

“As we look around here today, we have a lot of starting pitching depth, but as we finish spring training, guys like Alex Wood, Brandon McCarthy, Scott Kazmir, they’re going to have to pitch somewhere,” Roberts said. “So whether it is out of the rotation or potentially out of the pen, I don’t know that answer right now.”

Oh, and once they get the starting pitching set, they can start on their “eight outfielders for three positions” problem.

It all begins on Wednesday.