Astros at Dodgers, 5:07 PM PDT, TV: FOX, SPNLA
LHP Framber Valdez (3-3, 3.61 ERA) goes to the mound for the visiting Astros. He’ll face the Dodgers’ LHP Julio Urías (3-0, 3.86 ERA). Valdez has been an innings-eater for the Astros — he’s gone at least seven innings in five of his last six starts. His last one was horrendous, though: he gave up eight runs on 11 hits to the Angels in seven innings (four of those runs were in the seventh, which explains why he wasn’t pulled long before that inning). Urías has struggled with his consistency all year; he gave up four runs in two of his last three starts.
Off-day personnel news: The Dodgers’ Joc Pederson returns from paternity leave; Matt Beaty is sent to USC. The Giants waive Pablo Sandoval.
Seager and Pollock go back-to-back in the third inning of Thursday’s game:
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1930 The last major league bounced home run is hit by Dodger catcher Al Lopez at Ebbets Field as the NL joins the American League, which had enacted the rule change in 1929. The player who hits the ball over the wall on a bounce will now be awarded a ground-rule double.
- 1932 In the bottom of the ninth, Johnny Frederick hits his major league record-setting sixth pinch-homer of the season, giving the Dodgers a 4-3 victory over the Cubs. The Brooklyn outfielder’s major league mark will not be broken for 68 years until another Dodger, Dave Hansen, strokes seven round-trippers coming off the bench in 2000.
- 1953 The Dodgers clinch a pennant at the earliest date ever in baseball history with a 5-2 victory over the Braves at County Stadium. Carl Erskine gets the win when Brooklyn, who clinches consecutive titles for the first time in franchise history, goes up 13 games up on Milwaukee with 12 left to play.
- 1962 One game behind the front running Dodgers, the Giants lose Willie Mays, their All-Star center fielder, when he is hospitalized for nervous exhaustion. The ‘City by the Bay’ will drop six games in a row, but will recover along with ‘Say Hey Kid’ in time to beat Los Angeles in a playoff to win the National league pennant.
- 1963
“I look up into the stands, and it looks like Ebbets Field. The Mets are wonderful, but you can’t take the Dodger out of Brooklyn” – DUKE SNIDER, – addressing the Mets fans on his special night at the Polo Grounds.
In a pregame ceremony with his former Dodgers teammates, Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Don Newcombe, and Ralph Branca in attendance, Duke Snider is honored by the Mets with a special ‘night’ at the Polo Grounds, which coincidentally marks the last time the Giants, now located in San Francisco, will ever play in their once long-time home in Harlem. The ‘Silver Fox’, obtained by the last-place expansion team in April, has recently requested to be traded to a contender.
- 1995 During a WGN pre-game radio broadcast at Wrigley Field, Cubs announcer Harry Caray remarks to the team’s skipper Jim Riggleman, “Well, my eyes are slanty enough, how ’bout yours?”, referring to Hideo Nomo, the Japanese rookie hurler scheduled to start for the Dodgers. The veteran announcer, known for not backing off for his on-the-air off-handed comments, does issue an apology, calling the incident “unfortunate.”
- 2000 On the same date the mark was established 68 years ago, Dave Hansen breaks Johnny Frederick’s 1932 record for pinch-hit home runs in a single season with his seventh round-tripper coming off the bench. The Dodger pinch-hitter’s historic homer, a seventh-inning three-run blast off Diamondback right-hander Curt Schilling, isn’t enough to prevent the team’s 5-4 loss to Arizona at Bank One Ballpark.
Lineup when available.
Tonight's lineup vs. Astros: #Dodgers | @Biofreeze pic.twitter.com/LnSE0wEilr
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) September 12, 2020
NPUT
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1305169502787825669?s=20
Come on Doc – get him out of there
Come on now KJ.
Kenley’s been good
Good at working out of self-induced jams.
His numbers are fine
And here he goes again.
Maybe so. But he hasn’t looked good the past two or three games.
But numbers don’t always tell the whole story…
Kenley’s been good
Oh boy, here comes Jansen for the save.
I was worried about him coming in, and correctly so.
Since we were talking about Mad Magazine earlier: What me worry?
Houston’s James looks a bit like Jansen out there.
A hit here by Smith puts him above .300
Five-inning interesting game between the Reds and the Cards.
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/reds-vs-cardinals/2020/09/12/630988#game_state=live,game_tab=,game=630988
Pfft. Immediately after I type it Votto doubles.
No longer
Julio’s pretty curve got no love. Twice.
CT360 has put one in the seats there a few times this year
Whoa. Mookie took three strikes in a row!
Who?
Who (a)
For baseball’s most odious player, only Gurriel can rival BadGums.
Hate those scoring bloop singles. Argh…
That close to getting out of it.
I have resorted to carrot cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
https://twitter.com/Ned2point0/status/1304984616005111808?s=20
Padres licking their chops.
Maybe this will be the best thing for the Dodgers to have this happen now. So that they can figure out a different strategy in the playoffs. Doc has to manage that a lot better from now on.
The last grounder to Muncy shoulda been a DP.
Muncy is not a third baseman. That’s on Roberts as well.
He’s also not much of a hitter this year. But, then, neither is Bellinger.
I have not been sold on Muncy and have wondered what kind of trade value he had.
I think Joc before Max
They weren’t great a turning DP’s so maybe they get the one out. Maybe
I didn’t want to see Jansen tonight and would have given him only three batters if he didn’t have any outs. Roberts can be stubborn. I have said that before.
As I said below – he was just like Bogart in The Caine Mutiny
I thought the loss to the Snakes was truly awful, but this is light years worse.
We know what Roberts is going to say: “I don’t regret leaving Kenley in there.” “I’d do the same thing again.” “He had good stuff.” “He’s still my closer.” Blah, blah, blah. I’m just glad I didn’t see the 9th inning.
Unfortunately I can’t un-see it!
I guess that is what he should say to reporters and then go into his office and beat his head against the wall.
Now THIS was the worst game of the year. No contest.
Really it was the worst inning of the year.
Good point.
Worst game of the year
Thoughts on Jansen now?
We’ve been having a few of them lately.
Joc keeps it alive going the other way according to gamdday
Too little too late me thinks, but a nice piece of hitting.
Lux – swing at strikes please
Any other bullpen pitcher would have been pulled but this notion of the untouchable closer hurts the game and hurt us tonight.
So much for flexibility and thinking outside the box. You can play Mookie at second but not blink at keeping Jansen in
You and I are equally mad tonight. What a flipping disaster.
Steamed for sure.
Darn double play ball by CT
Strikeout would have been so much better.
Or a double! lol
Fiat Lux!
Don’t go breaking my heart, don’t go breaking my heaaart.
Its easy if you try…
I just read the play-by-play — I hadn’t been watching — Roberts once again shows he has some blind spots when it comes to understanding pitching.
That is kind. I would say head somewhere it shouldn’t be.
He reminded me of Bogart in The Caine Mutiny – cutting off his own tow rope because of being distracted by some petty thing.
I switched off the game at 5-1 . . . and I just turned it back on. EGADS!
Kenley absolute meltdown.
And Doc asleep at the wheel
Time to show some walk-off magic Dodgers.
I don’t think that the Lovin’ Spoonful is in the house.
Shriek!
Just the worst.
Sac fly but as Winnipeg Dave said if this pitcher had come in right away we would still be ahead. Infuriating.
Stupid play that Houston makes work for themselves
Why stupid? Can you explain?
Stupid running by Houston on the bases and should have had been out at third but were lucky not to be. Plus I.m super frustrated
I am beside myself.
These are the times I am baffled by managers. I remember Mattingly would get this look in his face and just watch a pitcher drown.
8:00 Fox abruptly left the game and went to local news.
Thanks Faux. I didn’t need to see that carnage anyway.
Way to wreck a game, and a pitcher’s confidence, Doc. He didn’t have it.
Only 3 batters too late Doc. The last few runs are on you.
I totally agree. Bah. And to this, of all teams.
He’s getting ahead of every hitter
No out pitch. Serving up fast balls and cutter not cutting enough.
He is missing Smith’s glove by over a foot but he is in the strike/hit zone.
He had nothing tonight. Nothing.
It was so obvious, that’s what I don’t understand about leaving him in.
Getting 2 strikes is not a problem. It is giving up the hits afterwards
What is Doc trying to prove here?
Come on. Please pull him.
I feel for the guy but he has to do better.
Or have a different role for the next week
Eighth inning pitcher would be better.
He can start the bullpen game tomorrow
There goes my good mood.
I’m ready for Gonzalez to be the closer
Or Treinen.
Treinen
Single single double single bottom of the lineup. Terrible. Is he hurt or something?
To the worst hitter in the lineup.
Oh man. Don’t blow this game. Not to these jerks.
Alright, he has had his three hitters. Next.
Make that four and still no outs. I am tearing my hair out here.
What. Is. Going. On?!?!?!
Jansen is not fine.
I’m having Kenley-Astro’s blown save ptsd.
Smith holds his glove high and Jansen throws it low.
To fool the guy on second from reading pitches?
I guess it is breaking down to low.
Lets work on your double play abilities here Dodgers.
Read my mind.
Turn the virtual fan noise up and maybe Kenley will get his Adrenalin up.
It’s as if Kenley can’t do it unless he puts a man on. I would sure love to see a clean inning from him.
It’s as if Kenley can’t do it unless he puts a man on. I would sure love to see a clean inning from him.
Tough run to give up for Treinen. Two missed double play balls.
The second play would have been dazzling.
True!
I agree with Orel who suggests that you shouldn’t be ruled out on an overslide at 2nd or 3rd unless you were trying to get up and advance to the next base.
To carry that further how about running past second but not turning toward third like running past first and not turning toward second?
I would go for that.
That’s what we did on the clinker on Ascension Island. Sliding woulda shredded your leg.
That’s what we did on the clinker on Ascension Island. Sliding woulda shredded your leg.
Kwajalein too.
Weird throw by Muncy. Kinda soft tossed lollipoped it over to first.
Almost made it all the way there
Smith now hitting .296
Shall we assume that Castellanos was not named for Humbert Humbert of “Lolita?”
That would be a fair assumption.
On to Petey Báez.
Will’s swing is a thing of beauty.
And then there is Cody’s current swing
Sweet outing by Urias. A few more walks than you want and a few less K’s but other than that it was pretty smooth.
He kept the game moving.
6 innings, 96 pitches. Pretty good work, youngster.
Almost time to shed the youngster label for him. Which seems hard to believe.
I’m nearly three times his age. 😉
But moving toward two times
We got out of it.
Thus allowing Gurriel to come up and get on.
Should be outta the inning.
What’s maddening is he gave Valdez that same curveball strike several times.
The curve he called a strike on Tucker wasn’t as good as Bergman’s “ball four.”
That was a strike AND a swing.
Woot! At least we made them pay for that wild pitch!
Nice, Corey and Mookie!
Valdez should be suspended 5 games for that.
After appeal. Start with 8 games.
Good take for the walk, Mookie
Nice. Wow – it’s crazy that these days a 5 inning outing seems like a lengthy start for a starting pitcher!
For the Dodgers anyway
Exactly.
Stop it Maldonado, whiff and get it over with
Done.
Hang tough Julio for a few more innings…
The digital fill-ins are freaky.
It’s a weird world when cardboard fans are more reassuring than Fox fake fans.
Getting jiggy with it!! Smith throws him out!
Quick release and accurate.. You go Mr. Smith
Beautiful throw by Smith!
Will Smith is a super star.
He could be.
No more walks, Julio.
It was cool hearing more sound coming from the mic on Max at bat. Perhaps a field mic would be an interesting addition there.
Harry Caray went the full Gurriel (or was it vice versa?).
https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1304914833066700800
AJ RBI A OK.
A triple for Seager! Different than a double but I’ll take it!!
Seager triple made Springer look very un-springy!
Didn’t the ball hit him in the forearm or wrist?
All of the on air conversation with Max reminds me of the old Mad Magazine cartoon about announcers getting up close and personal with athletes. The punchline was an announcer going off a 10 meter diving board with an Olympic diver asking him about his dive. The diver just said he planned to get out of the water as quick as possible because of the live transmission electrifying the water. The announcer was screaming to cut transmission in the last panel!
Eliciting a big smile from yours truly! Anything to do with Mad Magazine has that effect.
Mad built the foundation for National Lampoon.
Now put the mic on the catcher
DP! Phew! Get that mic off Muncy!
It was Muncy wasn’t it that said “it looks like we are going to get a double play here”?
Walking the weakest hitter
But compensating with the DP
I like it when a plan comes together
Things to do in Denver when you’re dead…
Weird they are chatting with Max while he’s playing the game on third. That can’t be easy.
I don’t like this idea
Me, neither. Not at all. I could maybe see an outfielder, but not an infielder.
Strange indeed
I hope Muncy has to field a ball
I would appreciate a laugher tonight
A man at a baseball game wondered why the ball kept getting bigger and bigger. Then it hit him.
Eat some Wheaties Cody, we could have had a trifecta.
Ha!
Kiké!!!
How sweet it is…
Kiké!!!!!!
¡Quique!
That turned my frown upside-down!
CT3!!!
That’ll do!
CT3!!!!!!
Belli almost has one there.
Didn’t hit it hard, though
Bellinger drew straws with Muncy to see who hits 6th?
The recorded sound is atrocious, drowning out the narration.
Fox broadcast?
Yes
I agree
I really miss walking up Vin Scully Drive and finding my seat and watching the game with the hills across from me, surrounded by my Dodger peeps while bantering with you guys.
Batting .200
Ha! Clever fellow.
Better pitch count in that inning for Urias.
Sad that neither JT or Joe Kelly will be a part of this 2 game series. I think they would bring extra fire into the games.
I’m in a grumpy mood today. Feeling the apocalyptic times. I’m counting on our team to pull me out!
And hopeful the blog team can provide you with a few chuckles as well.
I am counting on that, as well!
I tried to upload am image and got a message that said I needed to be logged in to do that
Describe, please…
Usually I can copoy and paste an image but if I try to upload one I get a red block with white letters that says I have to be logged in to upload. I think I am logged in so don’t know what else to do.
Email me the image. I’ll try to upload it.
Linkmeister@gmail.com
Done
Let’s get ‘em.
We live in strange times my friends. I find myself comforted by the sight of the cardboard cutouts rather than the strange digital crowd shown at times by a certain tv network.
Magnificent play by Quique!
Ugh. Lead-off double. I would so love to see a well-played game from our team.
No broken foot for May.
Well that’s good news!