The pitch that struck out Lux was a ball to Urias, but then White gets a makeup call.
This, too, shall pass.
In the minors, when a team was going like this, they’d sometimes hold a bat-burning ceremony.
We need to smudge this sucker.
Night all.
For the Dodgers, it’s Nytol.
Ha!
In a nearly two-week string of frequent listless efforts, this was the most listless of them all. This team seems to play with the snap of wet Saltine crackers.
I don’t like the results and try not to equate them with effort. My predominant emotion in these times is sympathy for the players. In some ways they might be trying too hard.
Two hits. Two. Hits.
And even that is generous to say since one was a broken bat duck snort just past the infield.
We look like a last place team right now.
Time to switch off.
Bob talked a few days ago about living through 1-16 in 2017. A few more loses here and this team will have achieved a dangerously similar stretch to that one.
But we had a huge lead at the time so we held on to first, if my memory is correct.
The lead shrunk from 21 games ahead to 9 games ahead. It went back up a bit before the end of the season.
But then the eye-level pitch is a strike.
10th strike out by our team.
That’s where the fans in California owe Jumbo Jack $5.
Very good one. And our first baseman is a Little Max these days.
Good pitch.
That one, at least, was legitimate.
Hader also getting every pitch even close called a strike though.
Mincemeat R us.
See guys? That’s called situational hitting!
So, so easy.
No eyes, no ears. How did the runner score on a ground ball to first?
He was playing against the Dodgers so it was easy. Lol
Ha.
It was a dribbler. No chance to get Wong at home.
Thanks.
Can’t let the run score. 2 run deficit is too much to ask these Dodgers to overcome me thinks.
They just can’t manage it.
Why was Roberts tossed? And whatever the reason, good for him. Maybe that will instill some passion in his players.
Bad check swing call on CT3.
Thanks, RBI, WBBsAs and WD.
A very bad check swing call on Taylor.
First the non-balk balk call and then a ridiculous check swing called a strike. Both first base ump.
Back from a fine dinner with my wife. I see you have halved the deficit. Thank you. But surely we have someone in Arizona better than Rios, who is now batting .091.
What did you have for dinner? Hopefully it wasn’t the humble pie the Dodgers ate eating.
It was chicken, as in I was too chicken to follow the entire game.
Ha! Glad you enjoyed the meal at least.
Sigh. I watch other teams get hits and wonder, “What would that feel like?”
At least the pain is shortened by the quick game.
Of course no joy.
CT3 should be on first already.
Good for Doc.
Ridiculous check swing call.
That was pretty lame.
Not remotely close.
One pitch, one out has been repeated a lot recently for Dodger hitters.
Difficult to remain patient when you are not hitting and the umpiring is erratic.
Nelson is all over the place.
Now his place is on the bench.
I still do not understand the balk call.
I guess you can’t bend your leg? I have no idea…
Never saw that
called a balk before. But kind of par for the course with the team during this frustrating patch.
Not even allowed to twitch.
There goes the natural DP possibility.
This is the hard thing as a baseball fan. No individual game matters in light of 162. And it’s easy to say as long as the team makes the playoffs and wins those games – that’s what really matters. But then why watch and follow day in and day out? And right now, day in and day out is not very enjoyable.
I watch the team through thick and thin. When it’s thin I want to be there when it turns thick. When it’s thick I hope it stays that way.
I always think – I don’t want to miss the crazy comeback, the amazing play or the memorable player performance. You never know when the brilliant will emerge out of the mundane.
It’s looking pretty thin right now though isn’t?
8 pitches. 2 strikes.
Ok. DP time please.
Ok Matt. Apparently you have been hot since your return. Let’s see it in action.
AJ and Matt both had
pitches to hit. This is the problem. We can’t.
That actually was a strike.
Need Mad Max to get on here.
Dodgers legitimately not good. Third time through the top of the lineup for Peralta and it was no contest.
Missing Bellinger a lot me thinks
And McKinstry. And Mookie. And Lux. (all of whom have been affected by injury.
Any word when Belli might be back?
Sounds like he will have some Triple A games in his future. So not close.
Sigh sigh…
Sigh…
Two pitches. Two outs. NOT going t(w)o do it!!!!!
Now Lux gets jobbed!
Not a strike.
Not particularly close.
It’s getting so old.
Again with the bad strike three call. Too bad. Lux was having a terrific at bat there.
AJ!
JAAJD
OK, there’s a start.
Let’s go! AJ!!
Scoop referenced the movie Groundhog Day last night. I think we have official entered into that scenario tonight.
Even more with the score now!
Why did Doc pull Alexander?
He’s a short reliever, may need him again this series.
Consistently hitting the balls into their gloves.
The Dodgers have a total of 72 hits in their last 12 games before tonight. I will try to limit my negativity. Taking a dinner break. May not return.
“May not return” actually sounds kinda negative, though.
Bummer.
Seager missed one there.
Our team looks lost at the plate.
Dodgers lead the NL in walks and are third in strikeouts.
Okay Uceta. What have you got at the plate?
Hoping he’ll look better than Peralta did.
Nope. But he took a good swing at the fast ball!
I’m not expecting much from him at the plate.
Got rung up on ball one.
What else is new?
Weird outs but I’ll take them!
He was out.
Scored a hit, but I’d say an error.
It looks like we’ll have to score to win this game.
Bold prediction.
I like to go out on limbs.
Very unconventional DP.
Meanwhile, Link tells me he’ll be in hospital for a while. I’ll let him report details if he cares to.
Thanks, but real sorry to hear that.
Oh I am sorry. Let him know we miss him!
My liver is thankful that Muncy walk isn’t one of those drinking games.
We can get them on. But we cannot get them in with any regularity.
Today is the other Bob Hendley’s 82nd birthday, not ours.
He and Sandy should get together.
And invite Chris Krug.
Frank Howard was particularly fond of Bob, to the tune of 8 dingers in 41 AB and OPS 1.471.
Sounds like McCovey and Drysdale.
The Dodgers lead MLB in batters being hit by pitches. That was No. 23.
Surprisingly our HBP King Turner has only been hit once.
I still have received no update from Link.
Edwin Uceta starts on the mound today for the Dodgers. He’s making his MLB debut. It is considered a “bullpen” game.
And ours is verrrrry thin right now.
The Dodgers pushed back May’s scheduled turn today as well as that of our other starters.
Voted the greatest moment (a very thorough account) https://www.latimes.com/sports/newsletter/2021-04-30/kirk-gibson-home-run-dodgers-dugout?utm_id=28281&sfmc_id=586899
How Jon handles hitlessness. https://twitter.com/jonweisman/status/1388540326621503489?s=20
The pitch that struck out Lux was a ball to Urias, but then White gets a makeup call.
This, too, shall pass.
In the minors, when a team was going like this, they’d sometimes hold a bat-burning ceremony.
We need to smudge this sucker.
Night all.
For the Dodgers, it’s Nytol.
Ha!
In a nearly two-week string of frequent listless efforts, this was the most listless of them all. This team seems to play with the snap of wet Saltine crackers.
I don’t like the results and try not to equate them with effort. My predominant emotion in these times is sympathy for the players. In some ways they might be trying too hard.
Two hits. Two. Hits.
And even that is generous to say since one was a broken bat duck snort just past the infield.
We look like a last place team right now.
Time to switch off.
Bob talked a few days ago about living through 1-16 in 2017. A few more loses here and this team will have achieved a dangerously similar stretch to that one.
But we had a huge lead at the time so we held on to first, if my memory is correct.
The lead shrunk from 21 games ahead to 9 games ahead. It went back up a bit before the end of the season.
But then the eye-level pitch is a strike.
10th strike out by our team.
That’s where the fans in California owe Jumbo Jack $5.
Very good one. And our first baseman is a Little Max these days.
Good pitch.
That one, at least, was legitimate.
Hader also getting every pitch even close called a strike though.
Mincemeat R us.
See guys? That’s called situational hitting!
So, so easy.
No eyes, no ears. How did the runner score on a ground ball to first?
He was playing against the Dodgers so it was easy. Lol
Ha.
It was a dribbler. No chance to get Wong at home.
Thanks.
Can’t let the run score. 2 run deficit is too much to ask these Dodgers to overcome me thinks.
They just can’t manage it.
Why was Roberts tossed? And whatever the reason, good for him. Maybe that will instill some passion in his players.
Bad check swing call on CT3.
Thanks, RBI, WBBsAs and WD.
A very bad check swing call on Taylor.
First the non-balk balk call and then a ridiculous check swing called a strike. Both first base ump.
Back from a fine dinner with my wife. I see you have halved the deficit. Thank you. But surely we have someone in Arizona better than Rios, who is now batting .091.
What did you have for dinner? Hopefully it wasn’t the humble pie the Dodgers ate eating.
It was chicken, as in I was too chicken to follow the entire game.
Ha! Glad you enjoyed the meal at least.
Sigh. I watch other teams get hits and wonder, “What would that feel like?”
At least the pain is shortened by the quick game.
Of course no joy.
CT3 should be on first already.
Good for Doc.
Ridiculous check swing call.
That was pretty lame.
Not remotely close.
One pitch, one out has been repeated a lot recently for Dodger hitters.
Difficult to remain patient when you are not hitting and the umpiring is erratic.
Nelson is all over the place.
Now his place is on the bench.
I still do not understand the balk call.
I guess you can’t bend your leg? I have no idea…
Never saw that
called a balk before. But kind of par for the course with the team during this frustrating patch.
Not even allowed to twitch.
There goes the natural DP possibility.
This is the hard thing as a baseball fan. No individual game matters in light of 162. And it’s easy to say as long as the team makes the playoffs and wins those games – that’s what really matters. But then why watch and follow day in and day out? And right now, day in and day out is not very enjoyable.
I watch the team through thick and thin. When it’s thin I want to be there when it turns thick. When it’s thick I hope it stays that way.
I always think – I don’t want to miss the crazy comeback, the amazing play or the memorable player performance. You never know when the brilliant will emerge out of the mundane.
It’s looking pretty thin right now though isn’t?
8 pitches. 2 strikes.
Ok. DP time please.
Ok Matt. Apparently you have been hot since your return. Let’s see it in action.
AJ and Matt both had
pitches to hit. This is the problem. We can’t.
That actually was a strike.
Need Mad Max to get on here.
Dodgers legitimately not good. Third time through the top of the lineup for Peralta and it was no contest.
Missing Bellinger a lot me thinks
And McKinstry. And Mookie. And Lux. (all of whom have been affected by injury.
Any word when Belli might be back?
Sounds like he will have some Triple A games in his future. So not close.
Sigh sigh…
Sigh…
Two pitches. Two outs. NOT going t(w)o do it!!!!!
Now Lux gets jobbed!
Not a strike.
Not particularly close.
It’s getting so old.
Again with the bad strike three call. Too bad. Lux was having a terrific at bat there.
AJ!
JAAJD
OK, there’s a start.
Let’s go! AJ!!
Scoop referenced the movie Groundhog Day last night. I think we have official entered into that scenario tonight.
Even more with the score now!
Why did Doc pull Alexander?
He’s a short reliever, may need him again this series.
Consistently hitting the balls into their gloves.
The Dodgers have a total of 72 hits in their last 12 games before tonight. I will try to limit my negativity. Taking a dinner break. May not return.
“May not return” actually sounds kinda negative, though.
Bummer.
Seager missed one there.
Our team looks lost at the plate.
Dodgers lead the NL in walks and are third in strikeouts.
Okay Uceta. What have you got at the plate?
Hoping he’ll look better than Peralta did.
Nope. But he took a good swing at the fast ball!
I’m not expecting much from him at the plate.
Got rung up on ball one.
What else is new?
Weird outs but I’ll take them!
He was out.
Scored a hit, but I’d say an error.
It looks like we’ll have to score to win this game.
Bold prediction.
I like to go out on limbs.
Very unconventional DP.
Meanwhile, Link tells me he’ll be in hospital for a while. I’ll let him report details if he cares to.
Thanks, but real sorry to hear that.
Oh I am sorry. Let him know we miss him!
My liver is thankful that Muncy walk isn’t one of those drinking games.
We can get them on. But we cannot get them in with any regularity.
Today is the other Bob Hendley’s 82nd birthday, not ours.
He and Sandy should get together.
And invite Chris Krug.
Frank Howard was particularly fond of Bob, to the tune of 8 dingers in 41 AB and OPS 1.471.
Sounds like McCovey and Drysdale.
The Dodgers lead MLB in batters being hit by pitches. That was No. 23.
Surprisingly our HBP King Turner has only been hit once.
I still have received no update from Link.
Edwin Uceta starts on the mound today for the Dodgers. He’s making his MLB debut. It is considered a “bullpen” game.
And ours is verrrrry thin right now.
The Dodgers pushed back May’s scheduled turn today as well as that of our other starters.
Thinner than a strand of hair?