Game 44, 2015

Braves at Dodgers, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN, SPSO

Lefty Brett Anderson (2-2, 3.61 ERA) will face the Braves for the first time in his career. He’ll face Williams Perez, a right-handed Venezuelan who’s making his second start in the big leagues and his fourth appearance overall. He hasn’t gotten any decisions yet. His ERA has dropped considerably from the 108.00 it was after his first stint against major league competition, when he went 1/3 of an inning while giving up two hits, walking two, and allowing four earned runs. His last time out was his first start; he went five innings, gave up one run, six hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Anderson has done pretty well against right-handed hitters, who have a combined .689 OPS against him. Against lefties he’s had poorer luck: he’s faced 61 of them and they’ve amassed an .803 OPS. Unfortunately, the Braves lean left-handed, so we’ll see.

Update: The LA Times reports that Charter Communications has made a $195/share offer to buy Time Warner. If that deal goes through then all Southern California Charter subscribers might be able to watch the Dodgers on the Sports Net LA channel. It still needs regulatory approval, though, so don’t hold your breath. Thanks to Howard Fox in the comments to Game 43 for this news.

Lineup:

152 thoughts on “Game 44, 2015

  1. Talked Uribe trade last night. Now one with Braves for Callaspo and minor leaguers seems in works.

    One of those, OK, head across the field to the other dugout, dude…if it’s finalized.

    Callaspo can refuse; seen unlikely. Free agent signee has the right to reject trades before June 15th (There’s a name that leads to obvious word play if he doesn’t do well.)

    https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/603218004030152704

    http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3336&position=2B/3B

    • I hope there’s some benefit to Uribe in this, I really can’t see much good coming to either of the clubs. Ho-hum…

    • It sounds as if this may be falling apart. Uribe still has some value, Callaspo very little, but the Dodgers could just cut Callaspo loose. They might get some minor league depth out of it.

    • Callaspo seems to have rejected it. I would say it was fun while it lasted but that would be a lie, truth is, who cares? Maybe somebody will see that Uribe is available cheap and offer something.

  2. Seager’s two homers tonight were his first two in AAA, in this, his 22nd game with Oklahoma City. The team is called the Dodgers and the cap is neat, says OK.LA

  3. The Dodgers acquired a pitcher named Hatcher
    Whom they felt had considerable stature
    But he has shown us this season
    There may be good reason
    That on the mound I’d prefer Margaret Thatcher

    • Ha!
      Between that limerick and Dave’s haikus, this is turning into Poetry Corner.

        • I love the limerick. And anyone is more than welcome to be in my category. There are far more talented writers here than I. But it’s fun to dabble with some poetry.

  4. Friend of mine — big Dodgers fan — is at the Oklahoma City at Salt Lake City game tonight and reports that Seager has hit two long home runs.

  5. Despite the “W”…. How long does the ” Hatcher Experiment ” last ????

    • He throws very hard, has high strikeout numbers, few walks. Good chance he’ll improve.

      • Ok… WBB… So, if I’m reading you… the word is ” Patience “… with Mr. Hatcher.
        ….
        Ok.. fair enough. I hope he can get in some kind of rhythm which will carry him though 2015…. 🙂

        • Yeah, in low leverage situations. He was very good with the Fish last year. ERA can be very misleading for relievers who’ve thrown just a few innings.

        • He is dealing with a babip of .395, so has a healthy FIP of 2.03. Certainly wouldn’t can him at this point, but hope that Baez gets well soon. Peralta is out there somewhere as well, so options are available at some point.

    • Strike 1, Strike 2, Strike 3. My kinda counting in terms of Kenley.

  6. Braves crew just said the Dodgers hit 3 HR in the 8th, had hit 3 the previous 83 innings.

  7. Oh man! The runs are back, the home runs are back and hopefully the winning is back too.

  8. Turn this into a non-save situation!
    This is the offense we were used to, biding their team before coming up with the runs.

  9. Very dirty play…. yes…. ‘dirty play’ on that slide by Uribe at 3B….

    Sliding purposefully inside of the bag on a bang/bang force out with his portly 200-plus frame sliding into and potentially over that kid’s skinny, outstretched leg. No… it wasn’t as if he was trying to cleanly knock the ball loose from the 3B…

    Instead, he was trying to make an intentionally dangerous play.

    Low class.

      • Hey…. I’ve historically …. absolutely loved …. Uribear!

        But, I’ve got to give a little ‘tough love’ on this one.

        He could have ended that kid’s career in one play….
        That’s what happens when you’re old, and slow, and having every indication of losing your job.

        If I’m the Braves…. Uribear is definitely getting ‘domed’ in this series…

  10. When a role player is called upon to play regularly or semi-regularly, he is often exposed. I think we are seeing that with SVS, who is now 4-for-32 since his average was about .370. This club really needs Puig back and a Puig who is hitting.

    • SVS is better than he’s shown recently, but Puig’s return will be important.

    • He is obviously getting more playing time against righties with Puig out. He is actually hitting them pretty well. Where he is lagging is against lefties, which he used to cream. Now his splits are the same.

    • He was far from adequate as our back-up catcher, but to rely on him as the regular catcher even for the short period that Grandal will be on the DL is absurd.

  11. What the heck. Was I the only one who didn’t know tonight’s game started earlier than normal? You guys having a holiday down there or something?

  12. If the Dodgers had just one more hitter with AGon’s smooth consistency, they probably would score a lot more runs.

  13. I’m about to exercise, but i will be watching, have no fears. And yelling, no doubt. One way or other.

  14. There’s an announcing pet peeve of mine. Just must comment on first beachball, etc. Kinda like they’re required to say it.

    Stay tuned for obligatory reference to fans leaving in the 7th inning after arriving in the 3rd.

  15. SVS weak grounder to 2B on a 3-0 count. Ugh.

    I had just as soon the Dodgers find a way to do much more in bases-loaded situations. Reminds me of last year.

    • After a routine fly ball on a 3-1 count with the bases loaded and two outs in the first inning.

  16. Just got home after the weekend away. Can’t understand why DM had Rollins bunting on the first pitch after Pederson got the flare double. As it turns out, it didn’t cost us a run as Rollins scored. As I live in Giants’ country, I think that Bochy is good for about five wlns a year because of his managing acumen. I would put Mattingly in the minus-five category. Perhaps I am being too generous on one hand and too harsh on the other, but I think that Bochy gets the most of his talent.

  17. Greetings, all. A special shout-out to any of you who have served in the military.

  18. I actually get to see the game tonight, thanks to Fox Sports South being on our cable.

    So I can see a game at Dodger Stadium from 2000 miles away, yet most Dodger fans in LA can’t.

    What was that old syndicated cartoon…”Strange as it Seems”

  19. Also, it’d seem to make sense to use Uribe as late game defensive replacement, for obvious reasons. In addition, some late inning defensive gems of the type he’s known for might increase his trade value.

    Maybe the situations haven’t been such that they wanted to do it. Or maybe they’ve decided against it for some reason. Unlikely they’ve not thought of it.

    • In what little I’ve seen Uribe play this season, he seems to have lost a step or three on defense as well as offense. That may be one reason he’s collecting splinters.

      • He deserved a shot, just as Luis Cruz did a couple years ago, but others have overtaken him.

  20. Following up, Uribe is buried right now. Given his age and FA contract status, he might not bring as much as one of the others. But his defense is known throughout baseball, and he’s not a black hole offensively.

    Don’t think they want to trade Turner, and AlexG’s contract makes him unlikely–unless that provision making him a FA following any season in which he’s traded could be bought out…
    His bat plays, but he seems below average defensively, so…

    • If Olivera’s the real deal, Turner would have more trade value than Uribe, but it’s hard to say that with no empirical proof of Olivera’s talents at the major league level.

    • I think Uribe’s the only one they’d trade, and he wouldn’t bring much.