324 thoughts on “Game 49, 2024

  1. Game #54, one third of the way thru the season.

    Dodgers (33-20)
    Reds (21-30)

    SP Walker Buehler R
    1-1 4.05 ERA
    SP Hunter Greene R
    2-2 3.22 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    LF T. Hernandez R
    2B Gavin Lux L
    RF J. Heyward L
    3B E. Hernandez R
    CF Chris Taylor R

      • Aloha is the Hawaiian word for love, affection, peace, compassion and mercy, that is commonly used as a greeting. It has a deeper cultural and spiritual significance to native Hawaiians, for whom the term is used to define a force that holds together existence. Wikipedia

    • Maybe the Giants are better than we estimated. They have staged a few late-game rallies to win lately.

      • Gnats tried to give it back in ninth, but couldn’t quite get it done. Sooner rather than later, though, they’ll regress to the mean.

        • Giants won, 8-7. Mets had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth but failed to tie or win.

  2. Game is in the balance Doc, use a high leverage reliever. The game is not always decided in the 9th inning.

  3. I texted Link with a long message last night, saying some of us were praying, others hoping, and also saying that the Dodgers could use him to play the outfield. I received a Thank You this afternoon.

  4. We seem to be picking up a number of uninspiring relievers whose performances have been just that. We need our regular middle relievers to get well. Soon.

    • Seems to me, Doc should have used one of his more high leverage relievers in that situation..

      • Doc often fails to manage pitchers well. We have seen that frequently in the post-season

        • Dodgers will not win another WS with Doc at the helm. He is a front office sycophant and does not have a feel for game situations. Just what is on his script from the higher ups who also don’t have a clue.

          • I disagree. As long as he has the trust of his players – a huge factor in a 162-game season – the post-season is now a devalued crapshoot. I value the regular season much more than the mild-card tournament.

  5. Maybe KT3 is changing his approach. 2 AB’s and didn’t strike out. And a huge 2 rbi double.

  6. Paxton was having trouble throwing strikes in the first inning and Rojas visited the mound. Paxton then through a strike or two and Joe said good mound visit by Rojas. Then on the next pitch, Paxton gives up a 3 run home run. Maybe Joe should have added, bad mound visit.

    • Maybe he should have said, don’t leave fastballs right in the middle of the plate.

  7. Might Joe refer to the Reds pitcher as Graham? I’m already tired of hearing Ashcraft. Sounds like a Rule 1 violation.

  8. Game #53

    Dodgers (33-19)
    Reds (20-30)

    SP James Paxton L
    5-0 2.84 ERA
    SP Graham Ashcraft R
    3-3 4.25 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    RF T. Hernandez R
    2B Gavin Lux L
    LF Chris Taylor R
    CF Andy Pages R
    3B Miguel Rojas R

  9. Being outscored in this series, 17-9, and six of our runs came in one inning on Monday.

    • Game is for all purposes over. Might as well get him an AB. At least he didn’t strike out.

  10. Yarbs is so clutch*.

    *Not actually a “clutch” situation tonight. But I do appreciate him.

  11. Pages having trouble hitting the ball out of the infield, when he isn’t striking out.

  12. The minute Orel praises Will’s block of one pitch, he lets another one get by for the Run.

  13. The minute Orel praises Will’s block of one pitch, he lets another one get by for the Run.

    • He has Dodgers syndrome. Swing for the fence on every pitch, every situation, and every count.

  14. Diamondbacks (23-26)
    Dodgers (33-18)

    SP Ryne Nelson R
    2-3 7.06 ERA PRIM
    SP Tyler Glasnow R
    6-2 2.90 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    LF T. Hernandez R
    2B Gavin Lux L
    CF Andy Pages R
    RF J. Heyward L
    3B E. Hernandez R

  15. Hello all. I reached out to Link’s sister today, sending him our love, and telling him we are continuing on communicating to each other during games with his last post, and we believed Freddie’s Grand Slam was for him. I received this message back: “Thank you soo soo much. He really thinks of you all as his best pals.
    Currently he is still in icu and not doing well, but he is a fighter and is trying his darnedest to survive.
    The regular throat cancer is stable,and the copd but the leukemia was kinda the straw that broke the camel’s back. He’s extremely exhausted and the breathing is real rough. He has lost his voice but can whisper to me. If he could will this all away he would. He’s very frustrated. Thank you all so much …”

    • Grove this season:
      4 outings of 3 ER
      1 outing of 4 ER
      1 outing of 1 ER
      13 outings of 0 ER

      Overall he has been very good. The pitch Joc hit out was not a bad pitch.

  16. Well I think that was the 11pm showstopper number in this game (Broadway style).

  17. Well, still in it to win it. But need the pen to be mightier than the sticks.

  18. Just thought I would throw this interesting stat out there.

    As of last nights game, Dave Roberts managerial record is 786-460. He is 326 games above .500.

    Which means he could lose 162 games and then another 162 games in a row – and still be 2 games over .500.

      • In the post-season, you’re playing better teams, and there’s the randomness factor in any short series. If you lose two of three to the Fish in June, you quickly forget it.

  19. Just picked up the game on the MLB channel. It’s the Arizona broadcasters. What a couple of homers.

    • They’re pretty bad, but Krukow and Kuiper are the worst.Yanqui crew is pretty awful too.

      I miss the so-bad-they’re-good types like Ken Harrelson and Harry Caray.

    • Also got some bad ball for strike calls which seemed to really throw him off. Bad calls on the ump, but inability to deal on Stone.

  20. Tuesday evening Schadenfreude: Gnats blow four-run lead in ninth, then lose to Bucs 7-6 in tenth.

  21. Reds beat Padres, 2-0, tonight Dodgers’ lead in NL West is now 8 1/2.

  22. Diamondbacks (22-26)
    Dodgers (33-17)

    SP Brandon Pfaadt R
    1-3 4.17 ERA
    SP Gavin Stone R
    4-1 3.27 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    RF T. Hernandez R
    2B Gavin Lux L
    CF Andy Pages R
    3B E. Hernandez R
    LF M. Vargas R

  23. Hate to have to Joc credit for a great AB, but it was.

    More Monday Schadenfreude – Angles bag Trashtros 9-7 at The Juice Box.

  24. On the Schadenfreude front, Yanquis blew a three-run in the ninth and lost to Rainiers (which name I still strongly prefer for a Seattle team – they need to seize it from their Tacoma farm).

  25. I also just heard from Steve’s sister. I’ll keep posting here for the time being, and I will add that we were fortunate enough to meet up with him for lunch in Honolulu a few years ago. Go Steve, and go Dodgers!

  26. Hello my friends. I just had a call from Steve’s (Link’s) sister, Lynn, that he is in the ICU. He was just diagnosed with acute leukemia and is having trouble speaking. It does not look hopeful. Link being Link, even in this state he was conscientious enough to insist Lynn let us all know what is happening. My heart breaks for this courageous and lovely man. She is shattered, as am I. He has fought so bravely. And I have learned so much from him, not just about baseball, but more importantly about showing up for others, day after day. I’m so sorry to be the bearer of this sad news. But if anyone can beat the odds, it is this wonderful human.

    • This is very sad news, indeed. For those who pray, pray. For those who hope, hope.

      My wife and I were vacationing on the Big Island two years ago and I flew to Oahu to spend a few hours with Link. He picked me up at the airport, showed me where he lived and we ate at a restaurant — what he could swallow was limited — and we talked about many things, including life and baseball. It was good so spend time with this smart, kind and thoughtful person. And, later that day, he drove me back to the Honolulu airport. Subsequently, he had told me that things were getting better.

      • I’m so glad you two got to meet, and that I’ve had the great good fortune to meet you as well.

        • Thank you. I feel fortunate to have spent time with you, Winnipeg Dave, Link and WBBsAs as well and to have attended games with all of you, except for Steve.

          • It looks as if I’m the only one not to have met RBI, but hoping to remedy that this summer.

          • I agree, though Ohio Dodger is another mystery to me, not to mention Bob Hendley. And Package, wherever he may be. I did get to meet OG Jon Weisman and Bob Timmerman back in the day.

          • Never met Hendley, but he’s a fellow semi-Swede. I very occasionally communicate with Weisman, but have never met him in person.

  27. I just turned in and am saddened by the news regarding Steve. Interesting how sharing thoughts here let us know a lot about someone. Steve is clearly a great guy.

  28. I didntunderstand the demotion of Feyereisen, who had been pitching very well.

    • I bet I can guess which pitcher will be the next to be sent down or DFA’ed.

  29. Joining in late tonight. Very sad to hear the news about Steve, and like the rest of you will think, hope, pray for positive healing for our dear Linkmeister.

  30. Diamondbacks (22-25)
    Dodgers (32-17)

    SP Joe Mantiply L
    2-1 4.67ERA
    SP Y. Yamamoto R
    4-1 3.21 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    C Will Smith R
    LF T. Hernandez R
    CF Andy Pages R
    RF J. Heyward L
    3B E. Hernandez R
    2B Miguel Rojas R

  31. Knack, knack
    Who’s there?
    Landon
    Landon who?
    Landon on my feet here in the Bigs.

  32. Most games over .500 this year, 15, (32-17) breaking yesterday’s mark of 14.

  33. Great! And thanks, WBBsAs, I went to mlb.tv in time to see the game-winning hit).

    • Not clear, but horrendous execution in any event. This is MLBTV free game, by the way.

  34. OK boys, walk this off now. Bunt the runner over to 3rd and squeeze him in.

  35. Well rats. Two of them missed that pop up! Should have been Kiké’s. Got the out anyway!

  36. Reds (19-27)
    Dodgers (31-17)

    SP Hunter Greene R
    2-2 3.27 ERA
    SP Landon Knack R
    1-1 2.81 ERA

    Lineup:
    SS Mookie Betts R
    DH S. Ohtani L
    1B F. Freeman L
    LF T. Hernandez R
    CF Andy Pages R
    2B Gavin Lux L
    RF J. Heyward L
    3B E. Hernandez R
    C A. Barnes R