Category Archives: Game Threads

For discussion of today’s game

May 05

Game 26, 2015

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Dodgers at Brewers, 5:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

The Brewers ask Matt Garza to win in his first career start against the Dodgers, while Zack Greinke tries to win after a Dodgers’ loss, which he’s done at least 3 times this season. He’s 0-2 with a 4.76 ERA against the Brewers, but by dint of his short career in a Brewers’ uniform he’s won 15 and lost only 2 at Miller Park. Which fact will prevail?

Lineup:

May 04

Game 25, 2015

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Dodgers at Brewers, 4:20PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN (Free game)

This will be game one of the Brewers’ Craig Counsell era; they fired Ron Roenicke over the weekend.

Clayton Kershaw tries again to win career #100, this time against Kyle Lohse. Kershaw is 1-2 with a 3.73 ERA in five starts in 2015, while Lohse is 1-4 with a 7.28 ERA, also in five starts. The Brewers’ Ryan Braun and Gerardo Parra have both had pretty good success against Kershaw, while Adrian Gonzalez has been a thorn in Lohse’s side.

Lineup:

May 03

Game 24, 2015

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

Two Andersons face off in the third game of the series this afternoon: Chase for the D-Backs, making his fifth start, and Brett for the Dodgers, also making his fifth start. Chase is 0-1 on the year with a 4.24 ERA; he started and went five innings against the Dodgers on April 10, giving up three runs in a game Arizona eventually won 4-3. Brett pitched in that same game, giving up three runs over six innings and getting no decision. He’s 1-1 on the year with a 5.49 ERA. He hasn’t gone longer than six innings in any start this season, and in his last two he didn’t make it through five.

Lineup when available.

May 02

Game 23, 2015

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 6:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

Note the start time is an hour earlier than usual.

Scott Baker makes his second start for the Dodgers and Jeremy Hellickson makes his fifth start for the D-Backs. Hellickson is 1-3 this year with a 5.24 ERA. He’s got a 2-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio, which sounds good till you look and see that he’s got 16 of the former but 8 of the latter. Add the walks to 31 hits in 22 innings and you see why he’s had trouble winning so far. Baker did well in his first start, going 7 innings while giving up 4 hits and 3 earned runs. Unfortunately the Dodgers got only one run to support him and he lost the game.

Lineup when available.

May 01

Game 22, 2015

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Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

It’s a battle of righthanders as the D-Backs send out old friend Rubby De La Rosa to face off against Carlos Frias of the Dodgers. De La Rosa was sent to the Red Sox by the Dodgers as part of the trade which brought them Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford two years ago. Arizona acquired him in the off-season, and he’s gone 2-1 with a 4.68 ERA this year in 25 innings over 4 starts. Frias is making his first start of the year for the Dodgers after two relief appearances.

Update: Mark Saxon of ESPN has a discussion of the Dodgers’ bullpen and its management. Three different pitchers have been used in save situations at the MLB level, and it’s the same in the minors: “The Dodgers’ four minor-league affiliates have had a total of 14 pitchers record at least one save.”

Hmm. Interesting.

Lineup when available.

No Uribear and a Guerrero sighting.

Apr 29

Game 21, 2015

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA

It will be Zack Greinke v. Ryan Vogelsong in the rubber match of the series. Greinke didn’t pitch in last week’s series against the Giants, while Vogelsong gave up two runs in six innings in the Giants’ 10-inning 3-2 victory. That was the game Kendrick saved with his headlong dive behind second base in the ninth inning only to watch Maxwell single past third base to drive in the winning run in the tenth.

Greinke has been the best pitcher the Dodgers have so far this season, going 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in four starts, all of them quality ones. Vogelsong is 0-1 in four starts with a 7.71 ERA, and righthanded hitters have been particularly troublesome for him, hitting .298 so far this year.

Puig and Crawford are on the DL, but Van Slyke, who’ll probably replace one of them, has a seven-game hitting streak of his own. If Guerrero replaces the other all he’s done is hit five home runs in limited duty.

Lineup when available.

My goodness, what have we here? Joc leading off, Rollins in the two-hole, Uribe in the eight-hole, and something which will cause lots of talk, no Guerrero in the starting lineup.

Apr 28

Game 20, 2015

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN

Like yesterday’s, this game is a rematch of the starters in last week’s series. Clayton Kershaw and Madison Bumgarner squared off last Wednesday. Neither one got the decision in a game ultimately won by the Giants. Each gave up two runs; Kershaw gave up three hits, Bumgarner gave up six. Kershaw walked one and struck out nine, Bumgarner walked two and struck out six. Each pitcher has faced the other team a lot in his respective career: Kershaw is 14-5 against the Giants with a 1.48 ERA and four shutouts. Bumgarner is 11-5 against the Dodgers with a 2.56 ERA.

Lineup when available.

The reason Alex is in left field is that Carl Crawford was placed on the 15-day DL and IF/OF Kiké Hernandez was brought up from Oklahoma City. There’s been no Twitter explanation for Joc’s absence from the starting lineup.

Apr 27

Game 19, 2015

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Giants at Dodgers, 7:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, MLBN

This is a rematch of the pitchers in last Tuesday’s game against the Giants. Brett Anderson gave up nine hits in only four innings, giving up four runs and taking the loss, 6-2. It’s small consolation that five of the nine hits were infield singles. Tim Lincecum went six innings and got four double plays behind him, giving up one run and five hits and getting the win.

Lineup:


In other news today the Dodgers traded LHP Xavier Cedeño to the Rays for cash.

In late news, Brandon McCarthy has a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will probably need Tommy John surgery. Scott Baker will stay on the roster and Adam Liberatore will come back up to fill McCarthy’s spot.

Apr 26

Game 18, 2015

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Dodgers at Padres, 1:10PM PT, TV: SPNLA, FSSD

The Dodgers send newly-called-up Scott Baker to the hill. Baker is 2-0 with a 1.93 in two career starts against the Padres. His opponent will be Brandon Morrow. Morrow will be making his first career start against the Dodgers. He ranks fourth in the Majors in strikeouts per nine innings (9.29) since 2010. So far this young season he’s got no decisions in three starts, going 20 innings, giving up 17 hits, walking 5 and striking out 15.

Puig and Peralta may be headed for the disabled list, Puig with the hamstring injury and Peralta with a “dead arm”. McCarthy’s right elbow tightened up on him, which he says has been happening since his last start against the Rockies. He’s got an MRI scheduled for Monday.

Lineup when available.

Apr 25

Game 17, 2015

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Dodgers at Padres, 5:40PM PT, TV: MLBN, SPNLA, FSSD

Brandon McCarthy goes for the Dodgers. He’s got a 5-1 lifetime record against the Padres and won his last start. McCarthy has averaged 6 innings per start and has given up 18 hits in 18 innings while striking out 25 and walking only 3. His ERA is 4.50 and falling.

His opponent will be Ian Kennedy, who strained a hamstring in his only start this year and just came off the DL.

Lineup when available.


André in right in place of Puig. I guess that hamstring is hurting him pretty badly.