Dodgers at Cardinals, 5:15PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN
Dan Haren (8-6, 4.23 ERA) starts for the Dodgers. He undoubtedly hopes to stop giving up home runs in great numbers (17 in his last 12 starts!) for the remainder of the season. Lance Lynn (10-6, 3.14 ERA) will pitch for the Redbirds.
Despite Yasiel Puig’s 3 Ks in the All Star Game and his goose egg in the HR Derby, he had a good first half:
The 23-year-old, second-year pro became one of six players in Dodgers history to record 100-plus hits, 40-plus extra-base hits and 50-plus RBIs before the All-Star break with 106 hits, 44 extra-base hits and 52 RBIs.
Other players in Dodgers history to accomplish the feat include Duke Snider (1954), Willie Davis (1973), Steve Garvey (1977), Gary Sheffield (2000) and Matt Kemp (2011).
That’s some pretty good company right there.
Lineup when available.
#Dodgers lineup at St. Louis:
Gordon 2B
Puig RF
Ramirez SS
Gonzalez 1B
Kemp LF
Ethier CF
Uribe 3B
Ellis C
Haren P
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 18, 2014
Also from Twitter: The #Dodgers today recalled Paco Rodriguez from @AbqTopes. They had roster space because they optioned Pedro Baez back to the Isotopes on July 13.
NPUT
As the outfield turns…
“Whether Kemp will again be a center fielder in Los Angeles remains uncertain. Mattingly, when told Friday of Kemp’s belief that he remains a center fielder, was unmoved.
“That’s fine,” Mattingly said. “He can view himself however he wants. I’m playing him in left.”
Notice, none of DM’s customary softening of whatever he has to say about a player.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/la/dodgers-outfielder-matt-kemp-confident-hell-be-everyday-center-fielder-again?ymd=20140718&content_id=85135998&vkey=news_la
another frustrating hitting game
July records: Dodgers 6-7, Giants 7-7.
With this lack of offense continuing and no stops upcoming at Coors Field, I’ve got a bad feeling about this stretch of games . . .
Completely agree. Not a good way to start the post-All-Star Game schedule. Dismaying. Infrequent contributions from Ethier, Kemp and (when he is not injured) Crawford all season long.
Nice to see the offense decided to show up.
Let’s start a trend in the 2nd half of coming back to win in the late innings.
and there is the usual HR given up
Kemp: 10 strikeouts in his last 16 ABs.
old friend Eovaldi not doing us any favours in Miami
Interesting article, with a big portion about Joc Pederson
http://grantland.com/the-triangle/mlb-shootaround-intriguing-second-half-story-lines/
Carl Crawford for Dan Uggla. Why? He’s not an outfielder and we’d owe him less money!
Um, because Uggla has been in decline for the past 2-3 years?
Crawford hasn’t???? The point is neither of them is of much use to us, but Uggla is cheaper and it would “help” our outfield problem in a ‘sort of” way.
I daresay any of the outfielders can outhit The Swedish Owl and even outplay him defensively in the infield.
Uggla is awful and, in any event, he’s been DFA’d so there’s no need to trade anything for him.