Game 144, 2015

Rockies at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Two lefties face one another: Brett Anderson for the Dodgers (9-8, 3.36 ERA in 158 innings this season, more than he’s had since his rookie year of 2009) and Chris Rusin for the Rockies (5-8, 5.14 ERA in 110 innings). Rusin started off well this year, going 3-2 through June, but he’s 2-6 in 18 starts since. Anderson left his last start after 5 2/3 innings with a calf cramp and has had three extra days of rest to help it heal. He’s done well limiting opponents: he’s given up three runs or fewer in 24 of his 27 starts.

Lineup:

328 thoughts on “Game 144, 2015

  1. Latos has not been good but, in fairness, he’s not the only pitcher to surrender a dinger to Arenado this year. He’s also had a long layoff. I won’t miss him next year, but baserunning blunders and failure to hit in key situations were last night’s real culprits.

  2. You ever notice, Anderson usually gives up 3 runs, very seldom more, very seldom less? And it doesn’t seem to be relevant to the number of innings he pitches. Weird. (Yes, I know he has an ERA of 3.something which would indicate he averages 3 runs per 9 innings. But he never goes 9, maybe 6 on average. So his 3 run limit must contain a percentage of unearned runs to help keep his ERA down) Net result: Even if he gets the hook early, he usually keeps the team in the game. That was $10MM well spent.

    • Not a bad number 3, given our two aces. 61% quality starts (51% is NL average; Greinke 93%; Clayton 86%). Like you say, he tends to keep us close. In games he pitches the team record is .536. In six games when he left on the losing end the Dodgers were close enough to where they subsequently were able to tie or take the lead.

    • He is the reason why I don’t think that they go for a third ace beyond Greinke or his replacement, what with Ryu and McCarthy due back and Ballslinger and Frias in the mix, not to speak of Urias. Lee and DeLeon are also lurking. A qualifying offer for Anderson would cost us around $14 million (note: no FA has ever accepted such an offer).

      • Ryu and McCarthy are question marks, though, and Urias is still too young to count on for a major role.

        • Oops, forgot Wood. They may be question marks, but they are also the answer to the question: Who are possible additions to a pitching staff next year that is second in RA/G in the NL this year?

  3. Grandal was the wrong man at the wrong time repeatedly. Still, we lead by 7 1/2 and the magic number is 11. Good morning, all.

  4. A disgruntled reliever, who probably still thinks he should be a starter, comes through about how I feared.

  5. Here comes Latos. Will be interested to see how he does. He’s our long man, so we’ll see how long he goes.

    • Isn’t there a certain irony to having a not so good pitcher as your long man pitching in extra innings? Give up a run and suddenly the game is done.

  6. This game has gone on so long that Kendrick is now healthy and available.
    Or something like that.

  7. This guy’s name is what I felt when the former Yankee skipper became our manager a few years ago.

  8. That’s it for me, I have to get on the road, hopefully there will be good news when I get home in about 40 min or so

  9. Managers don’t exactly hustle out to get to the mound do they? Weiss has the slowest walk I’ve seen.

  10. I love it when Vinny is so into a game that he starts his sentence, “Alright, here we go…three balls, two strikes…” Etc. etc.

    • Definitely. Our chances have improved greatly. Battle of the bullpen and having last at bat should be in our favour.

  11. I was about to say – I miss healthy, hearty Puig – but that flare by Barnes worked just fine. (65=66)

  12. Colorado more than holding their own tonight. Too bad because Anderson has pitched pretty well.

  13. Had forgotten that Anderson was the rain maker earlier this year. He pitched something like 4 times a row in the rain.

  14. A shot of a smiling, laughing Seager in the dugout. Still think it looks like he would need to ask his parents if it’s ok if he can stay up late in order to finish playing this game with his new friends.

    • Hi. No, home packing. Nephew’s wedding in Bucks County this Friday. But I will be back in the stadium this Sunday.

  15. Ha! Arenado with the line drive out at third. Baseball and it’s way of evening things out. Bunt singles and line drive outs.

  16. Ellis is batting 5th tonight. In every other game that he has started this season he has been in the 7 or 8 hole.

      • I agree. I would have switched him and Seager. But we’ve won 16 of 20, so Donnie’s doing something right.

        • Normally SVS’ slot. Donnie tries to go left-right as much as possible so he seems to be sticking with that in not having Seager higher.