Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

Jul 03

Game 81, 2015

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Mets at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN

This game marks the halfway point of the season. If anyone had told me back in spring training that Clayton Kershaw would have a losing record at this stage of the year I’d have laughed out loud. But Kershaw, who starts tonight, does indeed have a 5-6 record with a 3.20 ERA, mostly because his team has averaged 2.6 runs of support in his last five starts, and he’s gotten three runs of support or fewer in 11 of 16 outings this year.

He’ll face Mets’ rookie Noah Syndergaard, who gave up one run in eight innings in his last start. Overall he’s 3-4 with a 3.59 ERA.

Lineup when available.
Tonight’s #Dodgers lineup vs. Mets:
Pederson CF
Kendrick 2B
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Puig RF
Ethier LF
Grandal C
Rollins SS
Kershaw P

Jul 01

Game 80, 2015

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

The Dodgers send Brett Anderson (4-4, 3.13 ERA) out for his third start against the D-Backs this season. On May 3 he pitched five scoreless innings against them, while June 10 he was tagged for four earned runs in five innings.

The D-Backs send Robbie Ray (2-3, 1.98 ERA) out for his second turn against the Dodgers. On June 9 he went 6 2/3 innings against them, gave up two runs on four hits and lost the game.

Molly Knight’s new book chronicling the Dodgers’ 2014 season has caused a furor about Yasiel Puig. According to Knight he alienated some of his teammates last season. Knight will point out that Puig takes up only one chapter in the book, but Puig is so polarizing that when advance copies made it to some sports reporters they immediately began pulling out juicy anecdotes about him.

Lineup when available.

Huh. Lefty starter for the other team plus last game of the road trip means heavily right-handed lineup.

Jun 30

Game 79, 2015

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Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FS-A

Senor Frias (5-5, 4.31 ERA) for the Dodgers and Senor De La Rosa (6-3, 4.69 ERA) for the D-Backs. This is the third time Frias has started against the Arizona team, and he gave up only one run in those previous twelve innings. De La Rosa has also started twice against the Dodgers, but he’s been pretty bad, giving up fourteen runs in ten innings.

Lineup when available.

Jun 29

Game 78, 2015

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Dodger at D-Backs, 6:40PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Dodgers’ Bolsinger (4-2, 2.95 ERA) versus the Diamondbacks’ Webster (1-1, 6.46 ERA). Each pitcher was originally signed by his opponent today, Bolsinger by the D-Backs in the 15th round in 2010 and Webster by the Dodgers in the 18th round in 2008.

Lineups later.

Tonight’s #Dodgers lineup vs. D-backs:
Pederson CF
Kendrick 2B
Turner 3B
Gonzalez 1B
Puig RF
Ethier LF
Grandal C
Rollins SS
Bolsinger P

Jun 28

Game 77, 2015

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Dodgers at Marlins, 10:10AM PT, TV: SPNLA

Zack Greinke (5-2, 1.70 ERA) goes for the Dodgers. He hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts, but he hasn’t gotten a win in either game. The Dodgers’ offense remains mired in a team-wide slump, at least when Kershaw and Greinke start. The Marlins send rookie Jose Urena to the hill. He’s 1-3 with a 4.34 ERA, but 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA at home.

The Marlins have their own scoring problems, now that it’s known they won’t have Major League home run leader Giancarlo Stanton for about a month due to a broken bone in his wrist.

The Marlins have declared it Josh Beckett Appreciation Day. Beckett pitched the last three injury-plagued seasons of his career with the Dodgers, but he broke in with the Marlins in 2001 and pitched the next four seasons for them, including their 2003 World Series-winning season when he was named MVP of the Fall Classic.

Lineup when available.

Jun 27

Game 76, 2015

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Dodgers at Marlins, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Dodgers’ lefty Clayton Kershaw (5-5, 3.33 ERA) gets the start against the Marlins’ Tom Koehler (5-4, 3.76 ERA). Kershaw’s last start was a quality one, but all three runs he gave up came on home runs, which he’s given up more often this year than in the past. He may catch a break, though, because Giancarlo Stanton may be sidelined after he hurt his left hand in Friday’s game. Koehler missed his last start with a stiff neck, but his previous one was a good one in which he held the Yankees to one run and three hits over seven innings.

Puig’s torn callus may have healed enough to let him start. It was well enough to let him pinch-hit on Friday and stay in to play the field after that.

Lineup when available.

Jun 26

Game 75, 2015

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Dodgers at Marlins, 4:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Lefty Brett Anderson (3-4, 3.29) goes for the Dodgers and lefty Justin Nicolino (1-0, 0.00) goes for the Fish. This will be Nicolino’s second big league start. In his first one he went seven innings, gave up only four hits and no runs while striking out two, and got the win against the Reds. Anderson’s last outing was a good one against the Giants: he gave up only one run in six innings and got ten runs of support.

Other news: The Dodgers have reinstated Pedro Baez from the 15-day DL and optioned Ian Thomas to Oklahoma City.

Lineup:

Jun 25

Game 74, 2015

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Dodgers at Cubs, 11:20AM PT, TV: SPNLA

Every Red Sox and Cubs fan knows who Jon Lester is, while only Dodgers fans know who Carlos Frias is. Yet they have identical 4-5 W-L records this season. Lester’s not had a win in his last six starts, although he’s pitched well. Frias has lost three of his last four starts.

Expect changes to the Dodgers lineup, since it’s a day game and a travel day and Lester’s a lefty. Puig has an open callus on his left hand and is day-to-day.

Lineup:

Today’s #Dodgers lineup vs. Cubs:
Hernandez CF
Rollins SS
Turner 1B
Van Slyke RF
Kendrick 2B
Guerrero LF
Callaspo 3B
Ellis C
Frias P

Jun 24

Game 73, 2015

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Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA, ESPN2

Another battle of righthanders today, as Chicago native Mike Bolsinger goes for the Dodgers while Kyle Hendricks goes for the Cubs. Bolsinger is 4-2 with a 2.87 ERA; Hendricks is 2-3 with a 4.28 ERA. Hendricks has made six starts at Wrigley and remains winless, while Bolsinger is winless on the road and 1-2 in his last five starts.

Lineup:

Kendrick gets a night off before a getaway day game.

Jun 23

Game 72, 2015

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Dodgers at Cubs, 5:05PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Two righthanders battle one another this evening. Zack Greinke hasn’t gotten a win since May 5; he’s pitched well enough to win in most outings since, but his team’s lack of offense has let him down. He’s still 5-2 with a 1.81 ERA. He’ll face Jason Hammel, who’s also 5-2 and has a 2.89 ERA.

Lineup when available.

Turner gets a day off.