Game 134, 2014

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Clayton Kershaw looks to get his 16th win and avenge the drubbing he got the last time he pitched at Chase Field, when he gave up seven runs in 1 2/3 innings. He’ll pitch against Wade Miley, who’s 7-9 with a 4.29 ERA but has a 1.83 ERA in his last three starts.

The D-Backs team Kershaw will face tonight is vastly different from the one that beat him on May 17. Five guys contributed 15 hits, 13 RBI, and 7 extra-base-hits in that game. Four of the five are currently on the D-Backs’ DL, and the fifth has been traded to the Yankees.

Lineup:

Hmm. Van Slyke replaces Crawford in left and Turner replaces Gonzalez at first. I suppose this is just a way of giving those two guys two consecutive days off, with tomorrow being a travel day to San Diego. That seventy-minute flight is tiring, man.

48 thoughts on “Game 134, 2014”

  2. Question: Is Justin Turner just a bench player or should he now be considered in the mix as the starting third baseman for 2015 if not the playoffs this year?

    From Jon Weisman today

    Justin Turner …

    has become the 13th-best hitter in the National League this year with at least 250 plate appearances in weighted runs created (wRC+).

    has an on-base percentage of .453, slugging percentage of .532 and OPS of .985 in 179 plate appearances since May 22.

    leads the Major Leagues in batting average (.372) since May 22.

    leads the Major Leagues in batting average with runners in scoring position for all of 2014 (.420).

    An incredibly valuable player off the bench for the Dodgers this year.

      • 100% agree – WBB!
        …
        He’s having a nice year, and.. let’s hope it continues!
        …
        However, he is not very ‘swift of foot’ and does not have the ‘gun’ required to be an everyday 3B. IMHO.
        But, I like him and wish him the best.

    • DM has said several times he needs to be careful not to overuse Turner. Idea is that he as well as most other bench players fall off if you do, no matter how tempting it is.

      But he pretty much has guaranteed he’ll be a Dodger next year, which is a good thing.

      • If I recall correctly, Turner has two more years of team control. He’s probably good enough to start for a bunch of teams, but he’s best as a bench player.

      • I wonder how some players get the tag that they are not strong enough to play 150+ games or get 500+ plate appearances. Turner has that tag and Mattingly said as such.

        As I remember, that was the tag given to Pedro Martinez that led to making him expendable. The Dodgers got a big strong Delano instead, thank you Jody.

  3. Such a pleasure watching Kershaw bear down tonight. He got better and better. Fighter pilot eyes and concentration. Wow.

  4. just saw vision of Kershaw’s strikeout of Marte at the end of the 8th, boy that was nasty

  8. I was in Boston last week and saw the Red Sox play the Angels at Fenway Park. It was the game in which the Angel pitcher Richards suffered a bad knee injury. I have never seen a player spend such a long time on the ground after being injured, perhaps 15 minutes. It was reminiscent of a bad injury in a football game. It was my first visit to Fenway in over 40 years. It has maintained its charm and idiosyncratic qualities. The atmosphere is tremendous and it is fun to mingle with the crowd, both outside and inside the stadium. I even bought myself a green Fenway Green Monster T-shirt. Although the Red Sox were in the midst of an eight-game losing streak, their fans remain loyal and pack the place.

    • I went to Fenway in 91 when I was over there, it was a great experience (almost as good as Dodger Stadium!)

      • There was a pole a few rows in front of us that blocked a very small part of the field. But it added to the charm. . . . But, I agree. Dodger Stadium remains so special. (One reason is that we always get to see the Dodgers there!)

        • Nearly two weeks, I visited DS for the first time in 20 years, only to be “rewarded” with a Kershaw loss. In 1984, the only time I ever visited Fenway, I drove up in a rental car, parked across the street, and bought a good seat ten minutes before gametime.

    • I tore the same tendon Richards did back in 1998. In my case I was in a cast for 10-12 weeks and had eight twice-weekly PT sessions, as I recall. I wasn’t a pro athlete trying to get back into pitching shape, just a 48-year-old dude who wanted to walk without pain again. I did, although there’s some arthritis in that knee and always will be, I’m told.

      • Congratulations on coming back from your injury. Eight twice-weekly physical therapy sessions and 10-12 weeks in a cast. You showed tremendous determination,

        • You give me too much credit. It was use a walker or crutches or get on the stationary bike and pedal to stretch out that tendon.

          Here’s the full story of what happened. Even as early as the next day I thought it was pretty funny. I still do.

  13. only 1 run conceded in the last 2 innings, that’s a blessing considering what it could have been

  17. Water Under The Bridge Dept, & Bullpen Issues Dept.–

    I know Tolleson and Guerra were claimed from the Dodgers by the Rangers and White Sox, not just let go. But, in light of Dodger BP issues and numbers for these 2 for their teams this year, can someone refresh my memory why the Dodgers didn’t do more to keep them, especially Tollleson.

    Right or wrong, it was pretty obvious the team had lost confidence in Guerra. But still…

    Player ERA G IP H R ER HR BB SO AVG WHIP

    Tolleson 2.90 52 62.0 47 21 20 9 24 62 .210 1.15

    Guerra 2.78 32 35.2 31 11 11 3 17 33 .238 1.35

    (Had the table lined up, but so much for that…should be able to translate. I hope)