Dodgers at Mets, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA
The Dodgers attempt to sweep the Mets this evening, and they’ll send out their #1A ace Zack Greinke to do it. He’s 7-1 with a 2.03 ERA this year. Facing him will be lefty Jon Niese, who’s 2-3 with a 2.54 ERA.
In a thoroughly unsurprising move, the Dodgers released Miguel Olivo following his fight with Alexander Guerrero the other night. Guerrero’s ear surgery means he may be out for as much as a month.
#Dodgers lineup at Mets:
Figgins 2B
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Kemp CF
Van Slyke LF
Turner 3B
Ellis C
Greinke P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) May 22, 2014
Gordon’s average has been falling, so he may be getting the night off just to relieve some self-imposed pressure. Niese’s left-handed, which explains Ethier’s absence from the lineup.
NPUT
Darn. On to the City of Brotherly Love.
As much as I have badmouthed Maholm (justifiably, IMO), I’ll still be quick to credit him for stopping the bleeding there.
Maybe he can contribute as a reliever. Don’t wanna see him start again, period.
Puig’s fault, or was he just unlucky
Turner has made up for the error!
What actually happened just then?
I need a better explanation. I think he (Puig) left first, the infield fly rule was evoked, and he took off for second when the ball fell to the ground. He went past second base and was tagged out.
Thanks, because I wondered how Figgins got to third as well
Here’s David Pinto’s explanation. He writes the Baseball Musings blog.
You have probably seen video of the play by now but Puig started the problem by turning his back to the play, put his head down, and slowly started to walk back to first. He heard something, looked at the ball on the ground, and took off thinking he had to run or be forced out at second.
Where was Lopes? The Mets infielders through to second to get the force and only tagged Puig after they were yelled at to do so. The umpire waited too long to call the infield fly rule. No one seemed to realize that there was no longer a force at second once the rule was called because Ramirez was out by the rule and therefore first base was Puig’s to keep.
Puig got way too much blame for the mishap. Too many others were just as guilty, starting with Lopes and then the umpire, etc.
Actually, Hannibal Tyson Olivo just wanted to move up the June 1 opt out date in his contract.
The Dodgers were happy to oblige.
Kasten nailed it: “…Olivo’s actions were “unimaginable, inconceivable and, frankly, unforgivable.”
Catch of the year by Puig.
Video of it posted up top.
“W Flores flied out to right” doesn’t give it justice. That was insane!
Greinke was looking to get himself a couple more runs there.