Jun 03

Game 59, 2023

Yankees at Dddgers, 7:15 PM PDT, TV: Fox

The Yankees give the ball to RHP Gerrit Cole (6-0, 2.93 ERA); the Dodgers hand theirs to the newly-activated RHP Michael Grove (0-1, 8.44 ERA).

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1969 Tom Seaver strikes out 14 batters in eight innings en route to the Mets’ 5-2 win over LA at Shea Stadium. The victory, fueled by Ed Kranepool’s two home runs, improves the second-place team’s record to 24-23, the latest they have been above .500 in franchise history.
  • 1989 In a 22-inning game played at the Astrodome, Houston beats the Dodgers, 5-4, when Rafael Ramirez’ run-scoring single plates Bill Doran to end the contest at 2:50 a.m., seven hours and 14-minutes after it started. The longest game in National League history features L.A. center fielder John Shelby going 0-for-10 and southpaw Fernando Valenzuela finishing the game at first base.

Lineups when available.

Jun 03

Game 52, 2022

Mets at Dodgers, 7:10 PM PDT, TV: SNY, SPNLA

RHP Chris Bassitt (4-2, 3.66 ERA) takes the hill for the Mets and LHP Tyler Anderson (6-0, 2.90 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. Bassitt has been in the big leagues since 2014; he had Tommy John surgery in 2016 and missed all of the 2017 season as a result. He’s got a lifetime record of 35-27 with a 3.48 ERA in 116 games. Anderson has been a godsend to the Dodgers, whose rotation has been hit with the loss of Clayton Kershaw and Andrew Heaney and the continued absence of Dustin May. He and Tony Gonsolin are a combined 12-0 so far this season, which not even the most cock-eyed optimist would have suggested in March.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1969 Tom Seaver strikes out 14 batters in eight innings en route to the Mets’ 5-2 win over LA at Shea Stadium. The victory, fueled by Ed Kranepool’s two home runs, improves the second-place team’s record to 24-23, the latest they have been above .500 in franchise history.
  • 1989 In a 22-inning game played at the Astrodome, Houston beats the Dodgers, 5-4, when Rafael Ramirez’ run-scoring single plates Bill Doran to end the contest at 2:50 a.m., seven hours and 14-minutes after it started. The longest game in National League history features L.A. center fielder John Shelby going 0-for-10 and southpaw Fernando Valenzuela finishing the game at first base.

The Athletic’s Jayson Stark notices the Pirates – Dodgers series just past:

On that note, we present the Strange But True case of the Pirates versus the Dodgers.

Pirates vs. Dodgers this season: 5-1

Pirates vs. everyone else: 17-26

Pirates vs. all other teams .500 or better: 3-15

Pirates vs. Dodgers (2017-21): 2-23*

Pirates series won vs. Dodgers in 2022: 2-for-2

Pirates series won vs. all other teams .500 or better in 2022: 0-for-6

(* h/t Jim Passon)

You just can’t explain some things in life. But especially …

Baseball!

Lineups when available.

Feb 27

One week into spring (training)

So far this spring the Dodgers have a 2-3 record. I like this deal,though:

Dodgers @ Padres
Peoria Stadium – Wed 2/28
358 tickets as low as $4

As we all expected, the Dodgers have a bunch of outfielders all trying to win a job in left field (Yasiel Puig’s a fixture in right and Chris Taylor’s the same in center). Andrew Toles is coming back from a torn ACL in his right knee, Joc Pederson’s trying to regain his form of 2016, Alex Verdugo might be their best non-pitching prospect, and oh yeah, Matt Kemp is back. He’s 40 pounds lighter than he was last season, which should certainly help his fairly awful defense of the last few years, and he can still hit. I think it’s even money he and his $43M contract get traded, possibly before the season begins, but the Dodgers have supposedly been trying to do that since they reacquired him in the offseason. The left field situation featured in a Dodgers.com story about Maeda’s two-inning stint on Tuesday:

In the ongoing competition for left field, Matt Kemp started in left Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a strikeout. Joc Pederson started in center and was 0-for-2 with a walk, caught-stealing and strikeout, and he threw out former Dodger Willie Calhoun at the plate; and Alex Verdugo started in right and was 0-for-2 with a strikeout. Off the bench, Andrew Toles was 0-for-1 with a sacrifice fly and a strikeout.

I just subscribed to the new sportswriting website The Athletic. If you subscribe by clicking that link you get 25% off the $59.99 annual subscription price and I get $10 in credit at Amazon. It looks like a slightly pricey deal for a lot of extraordinary sportswriters, including people laid off by ESPN like Jayson Stark. Ken Rosenthal of Fox is there, as is Peter Gammons. It’s covering the NFL, the NHL, the NBA and MLS in addition to MLB. Take a look at it.